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MORE RECEIPTS. 



BY 


MISS LESLIE.J 




COMPRISING} 




. NEW AND APPROVED 


METHODS 




OP PREPARING 




SOUPS, 

FISH, 

OYSTERS, 

TERRAPINS, 

TURTLE, 

VEGETABLES, 


MEATS, 

POULTRY, 

GAME, 

SAUCES, 

PICKLES, 

SWEETMEATS, 


CAKES, 

PIES, 

PUDDINGS, 

CONFECTIONERY, 

RICE, 

CORN-MEAL, ETC. 



LISTS OF ARTICLES SUITED TO GO TOGETHER FOR 
BREAKFASTS, DINNERS, AND SUPPERS; 



MUCH USEFUL INFORMATION ON MANY MISCELLANEOUS 
SUBJECTS CONNECTED WITH 

GENERAL HOUSEWIFERY AND NEEDLE-WORK. 



Zthtnt^ EBMitoit. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
A. HART, late CAREY & HART. 

18 52. 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by 

A. HART, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States in and for the 
Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 



STEREOTYPED BY L. JOHNSON AND CO. 
PHILADELPHIA. 



PRINTED BY T. K. & P. G. COLLINS. 



PRE FAC E. 



This volume is entirely different from my former work 
of u Directions for Cookery," though sometimes strangely 
mistaken for it; an error which no person can commit 
after seeing both. These new receipts form a continua- 
tion or sequel to the other book, but are in no instance 
the same, even when their titles are similar. A large 
number have been obtained from the South, and from 
ladies noted for their skill in housewife^. Many were 
dictated by coloured cooks, of high reputation in the art, 
for which nature seems to have gifted that race with a 
peculiar capability. Some very fine receipts in this col- 
lection are of French origin : their titles are translated 
into our own language. A large number are designed for 
elegant tables, and an equal proportion for families who 
live well, but moderately, and for such as find it expe- 
dient to keep house in a manner very plain and econo- 
mical. The corn-meal preparations will be found un- 
usually good ; particularly that for Indian mush, an 
article which, simple as it is, is seldom made properly, 
or rather wholesomely. 

I must call the attention of my young readers to a 

chapter, (page 365,) comprising lists of articles for break- 

o 



4 PREFACE. 

fasts, dinners, and suppers, to suit small and large fami- 
lies respectively ; designating such things as are proper to 
go together, and are in season at the same time. 

Since the first appearance of my other book of Direc- 
tions for Cookery, I have introduced into its numerous 
editions so many improvements and additions, that its 
size can no longer be conveniently increased. While ob- 
taining fresh accessions of valuable knowledge on this and 
other subjects, connected with the domestic improvement 
of my countrywomen, I have been careful to note down, 
as they presented themselves, all these new items of 
valuable information, minutely explaining them in lan- 
guage intelligible to any capacity. 

Let these receipts be fairly and faithfully tried, and I 
trust that few, if any, will cause disappointment in the 
result. 

The utmost I need hope for the present volume, is equal 
success with its predecessor. 

To prevent misapprehension of their titles, it may be 
well to state that my three present chief works on domes- 
tic economy are ff Directions for Cookery," " More Re- 
ceipts," and the "House Book;" the last being a 
manual for all other branches of housewifery, excluding 

that of the table. 

ELIZA LESLIE. 

United States Hotel, 
Philadelphia, May 12$, 1852. 



GENERAL CONTENTS. 



Page 

Soups, &c 9 

Fish, &c .19 

Vegetables, &c 88 

Meats, &c. ... . 58 

Poultry, Game, &c 88 

Puddings, &c 107 

Sweetmeats, &c 185 

Breakfast and Tea Cakes . . ... 188 

Cakes, &c - - # . . 193 

Domestic Liquors, &c 280 

Perfumery, Remedies, &c 252 

Laundry-work, Needle-work, &c. . • . 297 
Breakfasts, Dinners, Suppers, &c. . . . 365 

Additional Receipts 395 

The Indian Meal Book 455 

Index 495 

Index to Additional Receipts 503 

1* 5 



WEIGHT AND MEASUKE. 



Wheat flour . . . one pound of 16 ounces . is one quart 

Indian meal .... one pound 2 ounces . . is one quart. 

Butter, when soft, . . one pound 1 ounce . . is one quart. 

Loaf-sugar, broken up, one pound is one quart. 

White sugar, powdered, one pound 1 ounce . . is one quart. 

Best brown sugar . . one pound 2 ounces . . is one quart. 

Eggs ten eggs .... weigh one pound. 

LIQUID MEASURE. 

Four large table-spoonfuls .... are .... half a jill. 

Eight large table-spoonfuls . . . are .... one jill. 

Two jills are .... half a pint. 

A common-sized tumbler .... holds . . . half a pint. 

A common-sized wine-glass . . . holds about . half a jill. 

Two pints are .... one quart. 

Four quarts are .... one gallon. 

About twenty-five drops of any thin liquid will fill a common- 
sized tea-spoon. 

Four table-spoonfuls will generally fill a common-sized wine- 
glass. 

Four wine-glasses will fill a half-pint tumbler, or a large coffee- 
cup. 

A quart black bottle holds in reality about a pint and a half; 
sometimes not so much. 

A table-spoonful of salt is about one ounce. 

DRY MEASURE. 

Half a gallon is ... a quarter of a peck. 

One gallon is . . . half a peck. 

Two gallons are . . one peck. 

Four gallons are . . half a bushel. 

Eight gallons are . . one bushel. 

Throughout this book, the pound is avoirdupois weight — sixteen ounces. 
6 



THE 

LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK 



SOUPS, ETC 



SPRING SOUP. — Unless your dinner hour is very late, 
the stock for this soup should be made the day before it 
is wanted, and set away in a stone pan, closely covered. 
To make the stock, take a knuckle of veal, break the 
bones, and cut it into several pieces. Allow a quart of 
water to each pound of veal. Put it into a soup-pot, with 
a set of calves-feet, and some bits of cold ham, cut off 
near the hock. If you have no ham, sprinkle in a table- 
spoonful of salt, and a salt-spoon of cayenne. Place the 
pot over a moderate fire, and let it simmer slowly (skim- 
ming it well) for several hours, till the veal is all to rags 
and the flesh of the calves-feet has dropped in shreds 
from the bones. Then strain the soup ; and if not want- 
ed that day, set it away in a stone pan, as above 
mentioned. 

Next day have ready-boiled two quarts or more of 
green peas, (they must on no account be old,) and a pint 
of the green tops cut off from asparagus boiled for the 
purpose. Pound a handful of raw spinach till you have 
extracted a teacup-full of the juice. Set the soup or stock 
over the fire ; add the peas, asparagus, and spinach-juice, 
stirring them well in ; also a quarter of a pound of fresh 
butter, divided into four bits, and rolled in flour. Let the 
whole come to a boil ; and then take it off and transfer it 
to a tureen. It will be found excellent. 

7 



8 THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 

In boiling the peas for this soup, you may put with 
them half a dozen sprigs of green mint, to be afterwards 
taken out. 

Late in the spring you may add to the other vegetables 
two cucumbers, pared and sliced, and the whitest part or 
heart of a lettuce, boiled together; then well-drained, and 
put into the soup with the peas and asparagus. It must 
be very thick with vegetables. 



SUMMER SOUP.— Take a large neck of mutton, 
and hack it so as nearly to cut it apart, but not quite. 
Allow a small quart of water to each pound of meat, and 
sprinkle on a table-spoonful of salt and a very little black 
pepper. Put it into a soup-pot, and boil it slowly (skim- 
ming it well) till the meat is reduced to rags. Then 
strain the liquid, return it to the soup-pot, and carefully 
remove all the fat from the surface. Have ready half a 
dozen small turnips sliced thin, two young onions sliced, 
a table-spoonful of sweet-marjoram leaves picked from the 
stalks, and a quart of shelled Lima beans. Put in the 
vegetables, and boil them in the soup till they are tho- 
roughly done. You may add to them two table -spoonfuls 
of green nasturtian seeds, either fresh or pickled. Put in 
also some little dumplings, (made of flour and butter,) 
about ten minutes before the soup is done. 

Instead of Lima beans, you may divide a cauliflower or 
two broccolis into sprigs, and boil them in the soup with 
the other vegetables. 

This soup may be made of a shoulder of mutton, cut 
into pieces and the bones cracked. 



AUTUMN SOUP.— Begin this soup as early in the 
day as possible. Take six pounds of the lean of fine 
fresh beef ; cut it into small pieces; sprinkle it with a 
tea-spoonful of salt, (not more) ; put it into a soup-pot, and 



9 

pour on six quarts of water. The hock of a cold ham 
will greatly improve it. Set it over a moderate fire, and 
let it boil slowly. After it comes to a boil skim it well. 
Have ready a quarter of a peck of ochras cut into very 
thin round slices, and a quarter of a peck of tomatoes cut 
into pieces ; also a quart of shelled Lima beans. Season 
them with pepper. Put them in ; and after the whole 
has boiled three hours at least, take six ears of young 
Indian corn, and having grated off all the grain, add them 
to the soup and boil it an hour longer. Before you serve 
up the soup remove from it all the bits of meat, which, if 
the soup is sufficiently cooked, will be reduced to shreds. 

You may put in with the ochras and tomatoes one or 
two sliced onions. The soup, when done, should be as 
thick as a jelly. 

Ochras for soup may be kept all winter, by tying them 
separately to a line stretched high across the store-room. 

WINTER SOUP.— The day before you make the 
soup, get a fore-leg or shin of beef. Have the bone 
sawed through in several places, and the meat notched or 
scored down to the bone. This will cause the juice or 
essence to come out more freely, when cooked. Rub it 
slightly with sa]t ; cover it, and set it away. Next 
morning, early as possible, as soon as the fire is well 
made up, put the beef into a large soup-pot, allowing to 
each pound a small quart of water. Then taste the water, 
and if the salt that has been rubbed on the meat is not 
sufficient, add a very little more. Throw in also a tea- 
spoonful of whole pepper-corns ; and you may add half a 
dozen blades of mace. Let it simmer slowly till it comes 
to a boil ; then skim it well. After it boils, you may 
quicken the fire. At nine o'clock put in a large head of 
cabbage cut fine as for cold-slaw ; a dozen carrots sliced; 
the leaves stripped from a bunch of sweet-marjoram ; and 



10 

the leaves of a sprig of parsley minced fine. An hour 
afterwards, add six turnips, and three potatoes, all cut 
into four or eight pieces. Also two onions, which will be 
better if previously roasted brown, and then sliced. Keep 
the soup boiling. steadily, but not hard, unless the dinner 
hour is very early. For a late dinner, there will be time to 
boil it slowly all the while ; and all soups are the better 
for long and slow boiling. See that it is well skimmed, 
so that, when done, there will be not a particle of fat or 
scum on the surface. At dinner-time take it up with a 
large ladle, and transfer it to a tureen. In doing so, care- 
fully avoid the shreds of meat and bone. Leave them all 
in the bottom of the pot, pressing them down with the 
ladle. A mass of shreds in the tureen or soup-plate looks 
slovenly and disgusting, and should never be seen at the 
table ; also, they absorb too much of the liquid. Let the 
vegetables remain in the soup when it is served up, but 
pick out every shred of meat or bone that may be found 
in the tureen when ready to go to table. 

In very cold weather, what is left of this soup will 
keep till the second day; when it must be simmered 
again over the fire, till it just comes to a boil. Put it 
away in a tin or stone vessel. The lead which is used 
in glazing earthen jars frequently communicates its poi- 
son to liquids that are kept in them. 

RABBIT SOUP.— Begin this soup six hours before 
dinner. Cut up three large, but young and tender 
rabbits, or four small ones, (scoring the backs,) and 
dredge them with flour. Slice six mild onions, and sea- 
son them with half a grated nutmeg; or more, if you like 
it. Put some fresh butter into a hot frying pan, (you 
may substitute for the butter some cold roast-veal gravy 
that has been carefully cleared from the fat,) place it over 
the fire, and when it boils, put in the rabbits and onions, 



SOUPS, ETC. 11 

and fry them a light brown. Then transfer the whole to 
a soup'pot ; season it with a very small tea-spoonful of 
salt, a tea-spoonful of whole pepper, a large tea-spoonful 
of sweet-marjoram leaves stripped from the stalks, and 
four or five blades of mace, adding three large carrots in 
slices. Pour on, slowly, four quarts of hot water from a 
kettle already boiling hard. Cover the soup-pot, and let 
it simmer slowly (skimming it well) till the meat of the 
rabbits is reduced to shreds, and drops from the bones, 
which will not be in less than five hours, if boiled as 
gently as it ought. When quite done, strain the soup 
into a tureen. Have ready the grated yolks of six hard 
boiled eggs, and stir them into the soup immediately after 
it is strained, and while it is very hot. Add, also, some 
bread cut into dice or small squares, and fried brown in 
fresh butter. Or substitute for the fried bread, buttered 
toast, with all the crust removed, and cut into very small 
bits or mouthfuls. 

Hare soup may be made in this manner. It is also an 
excellent way of disposing of old fowls. A similar soup 
may be made of fresh-killed venison. 

For hare or venison soup, add, (after straining it,) about 
half an hour before you take it up, two glasses of sherry 
or Madeira, and a lemon sliced thin. 



CHICKEN SOUP .—Cut up two large fine fowls, as 
if carving them for the table, and wash the pieces in cold 
water. Take half a dozen thin slices of cold ham, and lay 
them in a soup-pot, mixed among the pieces of chicken. 
Season them with a very little cayenne, a little nutmeg, 
and a few blades of mace, but no salt, as the ham will make 
it salt enough. Add a head of celery, split and cut into 
long bits, a quarter of a pound of butter, divided in two, 
and rolled in flour. Pour on three quarts of milk. Set 
the soup-pot over the fire, and let it boil rather slowly, 



12 THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 

skimming it well. When it has boiled an hour, put in 
some small round dumplings, made of half a pound of 
flour mixed with a quarter of a pound of butter; divide 
this dough into equal portions, and roll them in your 
hands into little balls about the size of a large hickory 
nut. The soup must boil till the flesh of the fowls is 
loose on the bones, but not till it drops off. Stir in, at the 
last, the beaten yolks of three or four eggs ; and let the 
soup remain about five minutes longer over the fire. 
Then take it up. Cut off from the bones the flesh of the 
fowls, and divide it into mouthfuls. Cut up the slices of 
ham in the same manner. Mince the livers and gizzards. 
Put the bits of fowl and ham in the bottom of a large 
tureen, and pour the soup upon it. 

This soup will be found excellent, and may be made of 
large old fowls, that cannot be cooked in any other way. 
If they are so old that when the soup is finished they 
still continue tough, remove them entirely, and do not 
serve them up in it. 

Similar soup may be made of a large old turkey. Also 
of four rabbits. 

DUCK SOUP. — Half roast a pair of fine large tame 
ducks ; keeping them half an hour at the fire, and saving 
the gravy, the fat of which must be carefully skimmed 
off. Then cut them up ; season them with black pep- 
per ; and put them into a soup-pot with four or five small 
onions sliced thin, a small bunch of" sage, a thin slice of 
cold ham cut into pieces, a grated nutmeg, and the yellow 
rind of a lemon pared thin, and cut into bits. Add the 
gravy of the ducks. Pour on, slowly, three quarts of 
boiling water from a kettle. Cover the soup-pot, and set 
it over a moderate fire. Simmer it slowly (skimming it 
well) for about four hours, or till the flesh of the ducks is 
dissolved into small shreds. When done, strain it through 



SOUPS, ETC. 13 

a sieve into a tureen over a quart of young green peas, 
that have been boiled by themselves. If peas are not in 
season, substitute half a dozen hard boiled eggs cut into 
round slices, white and yolk together. 

If wild ducks are used for soup, three or four will be 
required for the above quantity. Before you put them 
on the spit to roast, place a large carrot in the body of 
each duck, to remove the sedgy or fishy taste. This 
taste will be all absorbed by the carrot, which, of course, 
must be thrown away. 

PIGEON SOUP may be made as above. It will 
require one dozen tame pigeons, or two dozen wild ones. 

Wild pigeons may be made very fat by catching them 
alive in nets, at the season when they abound ; clipping 
their wings to prevent their flying away ; putting them 
into a field where there is a stream of water convenient 
for them to drink, or into a large yard ; and feeding them 
twice a day with corn. When fattened m this manner, 
they will be found profitable articles for sale ; the ob- 
jection to wild pigeons being that they are usually so 
poor and lean. 



FINE CLAM SOUP.— Take half a hundred or more 
small sand clams, and put them into a pot of hard-boiling 
water. Boil them about a quarter of an hour, or till all 
the shells have opened wide. Then take them out, and 
having removed them from the shells, chop them small 
and put them with their liquor into a pitcher. Strain a 
pint of the liquor into a bowl, and reserve it for the soup. 
Put the clams into a soup-pot, with a gallon of water, 
and a half pint of the liquor ; a dozen whole pepper-corns, 
half a dozen blades of mace ; but no salt, as the clam- 
liquor will be salt enough; add a pint of grated bread- 
crumbs, and the crusts of the bread cut very small; also 
%' 



14 

a tea-spoonful of sweet-marjoram leaves. Let the soup 
boil two hours. Then add a quarter of a pound of fresh 
butter, divided into half a dozen pieces, and each piece 
rolled slightly in flour. Boil it half an hour longer, and 
then about five minutes before you take up the soup, stii 
in the beaten yolks of three eggs. 

As the flavour will be all boiled out of the chopped 
clams, it will be best to leave them in the bottom of the 
soup-pot, and not serve them up in the tureen. Press 
them down with a broad wooden ladle, so as to get as 
much liquor out of them as possible, while you are taking 
up the soup. 

This soup will be better still, if made with milk instead 
of water ; milk being an improvement to all fish-soups. 

EXCELLENT CLAM SOUP.— Take forty or fifty 
clams, and wash and scrub the outsides of the shel]s till 
they are perfectly clean. Then put them into a pot with 
just sufficient water to keep them from burning. The 
water must boil hard when you put in the clams. In 
about a quarter of an hour the shells will open, and the 
liquor run out and mix with the water, which must be 
saved for the soup, and strained into a soup-pot, after the 
clams are taken out. Extract the clams from their shells, 
and cut them up small. Then put them into the soup- 
pot, adding a minced onion, a saucer of finely chopped 
celery, or a table-spoonful of celery seed, and a dozen 
blades of mace, with a dozen whole pepper-corns. No 
salt, as the clam-liquor will be quite salt enough. If the 
liquid is not in sufficient quantity to fill a large tureen, 
add some milk. Thicken the soup with two large table- 
spoonfuls of fresh butter rolled in flour. Let it boil a 
quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. Just before you 
take it from the fire, stir in, gradually, the beaten yolks 
of five eggs : and then take up the soup, and pour it into 



SOUPS, ETC. 15 

a ureen, the bottom of which is covered with toasted 
b* ad, cut into square dice about an inch in size. 

FRENCH WHITE SOUP.-Boil a knuckle of veal 
and four calves' feet in five quarts of water, with three 
onions sliced, a bunch of sweet herbs, four heads of white 
celery cut small, a table-spoonful of whole pepper, and a 
small tea-spoonful of salt, adding five or six large blades 
of mace. Let it boil very slowly, till the meat is in rags 
and has dropped from the bone, and till the gristle has 
quite dissolved. Skim it well while boiling. When 
done, strain it through a sieve into a tureen, or a deep 
white-ware pan. Next day, take off all the fat, and put 
the jelly (for such it ought to be) into a clean soup-pot 
with two ounces of vermicelli, and set it over the fire. 
When the vermicelli is dissolved, stir in, gradually, a pint 
of thick cream, while the soup is quite hot ; but do not 
let it come to a boil after the cream is in, lest it should 
curdle. Cut up one or two French rolls in the bottom of 
a tureen, pour in the soup, and send it to table. 



COCOA-NUT SOUP.— Take eight calves' feet (two 
sets) that have been scalded and scraped, but not skinned; 
and put them into a soup-kettle with six or seven blades 
of mace, and the yellow rind of a lemon pared thin. 
Pour on a gallon of water ; cover the kettle, and let it 
boil very slowly (skimming it well) till the flesh is reduced 
to rags and has dropped entirely from the bones. Then 
strain it into a broad white-ware pan, and set it away to 
get cold. When it has congealed, scrape off the fat and 
sediment, cut up the cake of jelly, (or stock,) and put it 
into a clean porcelain or enamelled kettle. Have ready 
half a pound of very finely grated cocoa-nut. Mix it 
with a pint of cream. If you cannot obtain cream, take 
rich unskimmed milk, and add to it three ounces of the 



16 THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 

best fresh butter divided into three parts, each bit rolled 
in arrow-root or rice-flour. Mix it, gradually, with the 
cocoa-nut, and add it to the calves-feet-stock in the kettle, 
seasoned with half a grated nutmeg. Set it over the fire, 
and boil it, slowly, about a quarter of an hour ; stirring it 
well. Then transfer it to a tureen, and serve it up. Have 
ready small French rolls, or light milk biscuit to eat with 
it; also powdered sugar in case any of the company 
should wish to sweeten it. 

ALMOND SOUP is made in the above manner, sub- 
stituting pounded almonds for the grated cocoa-nut. You 
must have half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, mixed 
with two ounces of shelled bitter almonds. After blanch- 
ing them in hot water, they must be pounded to a smooth 
paste (one at a time) in a marble mortar; adding fre- 
quently a little rose-water to prevent their oiling, and be- 
coming heavy. Or you may use peach- water for this 
purpose ; in which case omit the bitter almonds, as the 
peach water will give the desired flavour. When the 
pounded almonds are ready, mix them with the other in- 
gredients, as above. 

The calves' feet for these soups should be boiled either 
very early in the morning, or the day before. 

SOUP -MEAT.— To make the soup very good, the 
meat (of which there should be a large proportion, rather 
more than a pound to a quart of water) must remain in, 
till it drops entirely from the bones and is boiled to rags. 
But none of these fragments and shreds should be found 
in the tureen when the soup is sent to table. They should 
all be kept at the bottom of the pot, pressing down the 
ladle hard upon them when you are dipping out the soup. 
If any are seen in the soup after it is taken up, let them 
be carefully removed with a spoon. To send the soup 



SOUPS, ETC. 17 

to table with bits of bone and shreds of meat in it, is a 
slovenly, disgusting, and vulgar practice, and should be 
strictly forbidden ; as some indifferent cooks will do so 
to save themselves the trouble of removing it. A mass 
of shreds left at the bottom of the tureen, absorbs so much 
of the liquid as to diminish the quantity of the soup ; 
and if eaten is very unwholesome, all the nourishment 
being boiled out of it. 

Mutton, however, need not be boiled to pieces in the 
soup, which will have sufficient strength if the meat is 
left whole. A piece of loin of mutton, that has been 
cooked in soup, is to many persons very palatable. It is 
well worth sending to table. 

SAUCE FOR MUTTON THAT HAS BEEN 
BOILED IN SOUP.— Mutton that has been boiled in 
soup is very generally liked, particularly the loin. Take 
two large boiled onions ; cut them up, and put them into 
a saucepan with a piece of fresh butter, slightly rolled in 
flour ; a table-spoonful of mustard, (French or tarrigon 
mustard will be best) ; a very little salt and cayenne ; 
and some pickled cucumbers, chopped small; green nas- 
turtian seeds will be still better than cucumbers. Put 
all these ingredients into a small saucepan, and add to 
them a little of the soup. Set the sauce "over the fire, 
and when it has come to a boil, take it off, and keep it 
warm till the meat goes to table ; then send it in a 
sauce-boat. 

SUBSTITUTES FOR CAPER-SAUCE. — Take 

some pickled string-beans, or pickled cucumbers, or 
gherkins ; cut them into small bits, and put them thickly 
into a sauce-tureen of melted butter, adding a spoonful 
of vinegar; or, what is still better, the juice of a lemon 
Serve it up as sauce to boiled mutton. 
- 2* 



18 

A still better substitute will be found in nasturtian 
seeds plucked from the stems, and pickled by simply 
putting them (when green, but full-grown) into a jar of 
cider-vinegar. Add a few table-spoonfuls of these to the 
melted butter before it goes to table. Their flavour is 
superior to that of capers. 



19 



FISH, ETC. 



FRESH SALMON STEWED.— Having cleaned and 
washed the fish, cut it into round slices or fillets, rather 
more than an inch in thickness. Lay them in a large 
dish ; sprinkling a very little salt evenly over the slices ; 
and in half an hour turn them on the other side. Let 
them rest another half hour ; then wash, drain, and wipe 
them dry with a clean towel. Spread some of the best 
fresh hutter thickly over the strainer of a large fish-kettle ; 
and lay the pieces of salmon upon it. Cover them nearly 
all over with very thin slices of fresh lemon, from which 
the seeds have been removed. Intersperse among the 
lemon a few slices of shalots, or very small mild onions ; 
a few sprigs of parsley and some whole pepper-corns. 
Set the kettle over a large bed of live coals ; and spread 
very hot ashes thickly over the lid ; which must be pre- 
viously well-heated on the inside by standing it up be- 
fore the fire. The heat should be regularly kept up, 
while the fish is stewing, both above and below it. It 
will require an hour to cook thoroughly. When dishing 
it, remove the sliced lemon, shalots, parsley, &c, leaving 
them in the bottom of the kettle. Put a cover over the 
fish, and set the dish that contains it over a large vessel 
of hot water, while you are preparing the sauce. For 
this sauce, mix thoroughly a quarter of a pound of fresh 
butter with a table-spoonful of flour. Put it into a quart 
tin vessel with a lid, and add a table-spoonful of water, 
and the seasoning that was left in the bottom of the fish- 
kettle. Cover the vessel closely, and set it in a larger 
sauce-pan or pot of boiling water, Shake it about over 
the fire till it comes to a boil. If you set it down on hot 
coals the butter will oil. When it has boiled, remove the 



20 

lemon, onion, &c. ; pour the sauce into a sauce-boat, and 
send it to table with the stewed fish, garnished with 
sprigs of curled parsley. 

This is a French mode of cooking salmon. Fresh cod, 
or halibut, may be stewed in the same manner. 



ROASTED SALMON.— Take a large piece of fine 
fresh salmon, cut from the middle of the fish, well cleaned 
and carefully scaled. Wipe it dry in a clean coarse 
cloth. Then dredge it with flour, put it on the spit, and 
place it before a clear bright fire. Baste it with fresh 
butter, and roast it well ; seeing that it is thoroughly 
done to the bone. Serve it up plain ; garnishing the 
dish with slices of lemon, as many persons like a little 
lemon-juice with salmon. This mode of cooking salmon 
will be found excellent. A small one or a salmon-trout 
may be roasted whole. 

BAKED SALMON.— A small salmon may be baked 
whole. Stuff it with forcemeat made of bread-crumbs ; 
chopped oysters, or minced lobster ; butter ; cayenne ; a 
little salt, and powdered mace, — all mixed well, and 
moistened with beaten yolk of egg. Bend the salmon 
round, and put the tail into the mouth, fastening it with 
a skewer. Put it into a large deep dish ; lay bits of 
butter on it at small intervals ; and set it into the oven. 
While baking, look at it occasionally, and baste it with 
the butter. When one side is well browned, turn it 
carefully in the dish, and add more butter. Bake it till 
the other side is well browned. Then transfer it to an- 
other dish with the gravy that is about it, and send it to 
table. 

If you bake salmon in slices, reserve the forcemeat for 
the outside. Dip each slice first in beaten yolk of egg, 
and then in the forcemeat, till it is well coated. If in 



FISH, ETC. 21 

one large piece, cover it in the same manner thickly with 
the seasoning. 

The usual sauce for baked salmon is melted butter, 
flavoured with the juice of a lemon, and a glass of port 
wine, stirred in just before the butter is taken from the 
fire. Serve it up in a sauce-boat. 



BOILED TURBOT OR SHEEP'S-HEAD FISH.— 

Having cleaned and washed the fish, soak it an hour or 
two in salt and water to draw off the slime. Then let it 
lie half an hour or more in cold water. Afterwards drain, 
and wipe it dry. Score the back deeply with a knife. 
The whiteness of the fish will be much improved by 
rubbing it over with a cut lemon. The fish-kettle must 
be large, and nicely clean. Lay the fish with its back 
downward, on the strainer of the kettle. Cover it well 
with cold water, (milk and water in equal portions will be 
better still,) and add a small table-spoonful of salt. Do 
not let it come to a boil too fast, and skim it carefully. 
When the scum has ceased to rise, diminish the heat 
under the kettle, and let it simmer for about half an hour 
or more ; not allowing it to boil hard. When the fish is 
done, take it up carefully with a fish-slice ; and having 
prepared the sauce, pour it over the fish and send it to 
table hot. 

For the sauce mix together very smoothly, with a broad 
bladed knife, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, two 
tea-spoonfuls of flour. Put them into a clean sauce-pan, 
and hold it over the fire, and stir them till melted. Then 
add a large salt-spoonful of powdered mace, and as much 
cayenne as will lie on a sixpence. It will be much im- 
proved by the addition of some boiled lobster, chopped 
small. When the sauce has simmered two or three 
minutes, add very gradually, half a pint of rich cream, 
and let it come almost to a boil, stirring all the time. 



22 

After the fish is taken up, pour the sauce over it hot. 
Or you may send it to table in a sauce-boat. In this case 
ornament the fish with the coral of the lobster put on in 
a handsome figure. 

Another way of dressing this fish is, after it has been 
boiled to set it on ice to get cold ; and then, having care- 
fully removed the bones, cut the flesh into small squares, 
put it into a stew-pan, and having mixed the above sauce, 
add it to the fish, and let it stew slowly in the sauce ; but 
do not let it come to a boil. When thoroughly hot, take 
it up, and send it to table in a deep dish. 



BAKED TURBOT OR SHEEP'S-HEAD FISH.— 

Having cleaned the fish, soak it an hour or two in salt 
and water, and afterwards wash it well through two or 
three fresh waters. Then dry it in a clean towel. Score 
it deeply, across the back ; and then lay it in a deep 
white baking-dish. Mix together a large tea-spoonful of 
powdered mace and nutmeg ; add a salt-spoon of cay- 
enne ; a few sprigs of sweet-marjoram and sweet basil 
finely minced ; two large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter; 
and two table-spoonfuls of grated bread-crumbs. Stir 
this mixture into a pint of rich cream. Pour this mari- 
nade over the fish, cover it, and let it stand half an 
hour. Then bake it in the marinade ; and send it hot to 
table. 

If the fish is too large to be baked whole, cut it into 
fillets ; extracting the bone. 

Salmon-trout may be baked in this manner. 



SEA BASS WITH TOMATOES.— Take three large 
fine sea-bass, or black-fish. Cut off their heads and tails, 
and fry the fish in plenty of lard till about half done. 
Have ready a pint of tomatoes, that have been pickled 
cold m vinegar flavoured with a muslin bag of mixed 



FISH, ETC. 23 

spices. Drain the tomatoes well from the vinegar ; skin 
them, and mash them in a pan ; dredging them with 
about as much flour as would fill a large table-spoon heaped 
up. Pour the mixture over the fish while in the frying 
pan ; and continue frying till they are thoroughly done. 

Cutlets of halibut may be fried in this manner with 
tomatoes : also, any other pan-fish. 

Beef-steaks or lamb-chops are excellent fried thus with 
tomatoes. 



BAKED SALMON-TROUT.— Having cleaned the 
fish, and laid it two hours in weak salt and water, dry it in 
a cloth, and then rub both the inside and outside with a 
seasoning of cayenne pepper, powdered mace, nutmeg, 
and a little salt mixed well together. Then lay it in a deep 
baking pan, turn the tail round into the mouth, and stick 
bits of fresh butter thickly over the fish. Put it into an 
oven, and bake it well ; basting it frequently with the liquid 
that will soon surround it. When you suppose it to be 
nearly done, try it by sticking down to the back-bone a 
thin-bladed knife. When you find that the flesh sepa- 
rates immediately from the bone, it is done sufficiently. 
Serve it up with lobster-sauce. 

Any large fresh fish may be baked in this way. 



CREAM TROUT.— Having prepared the trout very 
nicely, and cut ofT the heads and tails, put the fish into 
boiling water that has been slightly salted, and simmer 
them for five minutes. Then take them out, and lay 
them to drain. Put them into a stew-pan, and season 
them well with powdered mace, nutmeg, and a little 
cayenne, all mixed together. Put in as much rich cream 
as will cover the fish, adding some bits of the fresh yellow 
rind of a small lemon. Keep the pan covered, and let 
the fish stew for about ten minutes after it has begun to 



24 the lady's receipt-book. 

simmer. Then dish the fish, and keep them hot till you 
have finished the sauce. Mix, very smoothly, a small 
tea-spoonful of arrow-root with a little milk, and stir it 
into the cream. Then add the juice of the lemon. Pour 
the sauce over the fish, and then send them to table. 

Turbot or sheep's-head fish may be dressed as above ; 
of course it will require a large proportion of seasoning, 
&c, and longer time to cook. 

Carp is very nice stewed in this manner. 

STEWED COD-FISH.— Take a fine fresh cod, and 
cut into slices an inch thick, separated from the bones. 
Lay the pieces of fish in the bottom of a stew-pan : season 
them with a grated nutmeg; half a dozen blades of mace ; 
a salt-spoonful of cayenne pepper, and a small saucer-full 
of chopped celery, or a bunch of sweet herbs tied together. 
Pour on half a pint of oyster liquor diluted with two wine 
glasses or a j ill of water, and the juice of a lemon. Cover 
it close, and let it stew gently till the fish is almost done, 
shaking the pan frequently. Then take a piece of fresh 
butter the size of an egg ; roll it in flour, and add it to 
the stew. Also, put in two dozen large fine oysters, with 
what liquor there is about them. Cover it again ; quicken 
the fire a little, and let the whole continue to stew five 
minutes longer. Before you send it to table remove the 
bunch of sweet herbs. 

Rock-fish may be stewed in this manner. Fresh sal- 
mon also. 



FRIED COD-FISH.— Take the middle or tail part of 
a fresh cod-fish, and cut it into slices not quite an inch 
thick, first removing the skin. Season them with a little 
salt and cayenne pepper. Have ready in one dish some 
beaten yolk of egg, and in another some grated bread- 
crumbs. Dip each slice of fish twice into the egg, and 



FISH, ETC. 25 

then twice into the crumbs. Fry them in fresh butter, 
and serve them up with the gravy about them. 
Halibut may be fried as above. 



STEWED HALIBUT.— Cut the fish into pieces 
about four inches square, of course omitting the bone. 
Season it very slightly with salt, and let it rest for half 
an hour. Then take it out of the salt, put it into a large 
deep dish, and strew over it a mixture of cayenne pepper, 
ground white ginger, and grated nutmeg. Lay among 
it some small bits of fresh butter rolled in grated cracker. 
Add half a pint of vinegar, (tarragon vinegar if you have 
it.) Place the dish in a slow oven, and let the halibut cook 
till thoroughly done, basting it very frequently with the 
liquid. When nearly done, add a large table-spoonful or 
more of capers, or pickled nasturtians. 



STEWED ROCK-FISH.— Take a large rock-fish, 
and cut it in slices near an inch thick. Sprinkle it very 
slightly with salt, and let it remain for half an hour. 
Slice very thin a dozen large onions. Put them into a 
stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, cut 
into bits. Set them over a slow fire, and stir them con- 
tinually till they are quite soft, taking care not to let them 
become brown. Then put in the sliced fish in layers ; 
seasoning each layer with a mixture of white ground 
ginger, cayenne pepper, and grated nutmeg ; add some 
chopped parsley, and some bits of butter rolled in flour 
Pour in a pint of water, and, if you choose, a small wine- 
glass of vinegar, (tarragon vinegar will be best.*) Set it 

* To make this vinegar, — half fill a bottle with tarragon leaves, 
and fill it quite up with the best cider vinegar. Cork it tightly, and 
do not remove the tarragon, but let it remain always at the bottom 
The flavour is very fine. 

3 



26 

over a good fire and let it cook about an hour. When 
done, take out the fish carefully, to avoid breaking the 
slices. Lay it in a deep dish that has been made hot, 
and cover it immediately. Have ready the beaten yolks 
of two eggs. Stir them into the gravy. Give it one boil 
up ; and then either pour it over the fish, or serve it up 
in a sauce-boat. 

Halibut, fresh cod, or any other large fish may be 
stewed in this manner. 



TO KEEP A SHAD WITHOUT CORNING.— 

By the following process, (which we can highly recom- 
mend from experience,) a shad may be kept twenty-four 
hours, or indeed longer, so as to be perfectly fresh in taste 
and appearance. For instance, if brought fresh from 
market on Saturday morning, it may be broiled for break- 
fast on Sunday, and will seem like a fresh shad just from 
the water. Immediately on bringing it in, let it be scaled, 
cleaned, washed, split, and wiped dry ; cutting off the 
head and tail. Spread the shad open on a large flat dish. 
Mix well together in a cup, a heaped table-spoonful of 
brown sugar ; a heaped tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper, 
and a tea-spoonful of fine salt ; and then rub the*mixture, 
thoroughly and evenly, all over the inside of the fish ; 
which, of course, must be spread with the skin or outside 
downwards. Cover it closely with a large tin cover or 
with another dish, and set it immediately on ice or in a 
very cold place, and let it rest till next morning, or till it 
is wanted for cooking. Immediately before you put it on 
the gridiron, take a clean towel and carefully wipe off the 
whole of the seasoning, not letting a particle of it remain 
lound the edges, or anywhere else. Then put the shad 
on a previously heated gridiron, over hot coals, and broil it 
well. Butter it, and send it hot to table, where every one 
can season it again, according to their taste. If these 



FISH, ETC. 27 

directions are exactly followed, no one, without being told, 
could possibly guess that the" shad was not fresh from 
market that morning. 

Any fresh fish intended for splitting and broiling may 
be kept till next day in this manner, which will be found 
very superior to what is called corning. 

EXCELLENT STEWED OYSTERS .—Take fifty 
fine large fresh oysters, and strain the liquor from them 
into a saucepan. Season it with equal portions of cay- 
enne, black pepper, and salt, all mixed together in a 
small tea-spoon, and add half a dozen blades of mace. 
Set it over the fire, and let it come to a hard boil, skim- 
ming it well. Mix together in a pan or bowl, a quarter 
of a pound of fresh butter and a table-spoonful and a half 
(not more) of flour. Beat and stir the butter and flour till 
it is quite smooth, and free from lumps. Having taken 
the oyster-liquor from the fire, stir into it the beaten butter 
and flour. Set the sauce-pan again over the fire, and give 
it another boil up. Then put in the oysters, and when 
they come to a hard boil take them ofT. Have ready in 
the bottom of a deep dish, two nice slices of toasted bread 
with all the crust trimmed off. Cut the toast into dice 
or small squares. Pour the oysters and their gravy hot 
into the dish. Cover them closely, and send them to 
table. There is no better way of stewing oysters than 
this, when you cannot conveniently do them with cream. 
If you have cream, (which for this purpose must be very 
rich,) add half a pint of it to the gravy, and season it 
with grated nutmeg. The cream must be stirred in at 
the last, just before the oysters are taken from the fire. 



FRENCH STEWED OYSTERS.— Take a hun- 
dred large fine oysters. Set them over the fire in their 
qwu liquor, (skimming them well,) and when they begin 



28 

Lo simmer take them out with a perforated ladle, and 
throw them directly into a pan of cold water to plump 
them. When they are quite cold, place them in a sieve, 
and drain them well. Having saved their liquor, add to 
it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter divided into four 
pieces, (each piece rolled in flour,) a dozen blades of mace, 
a powdered nutmeg, and a small salt-spoon of cayenne. 
Set this mixture over the fire, and stir it till the butter and 
flour is well mixed all through. Then put in the oysters, 
and as soon as they have come to a boil, take off the 
sauce-pan, and stir in immediately the beaten yolks of 
three eggs. Serve them up hot. 



OYSTER LOAVES.— Take some tall fresh rolls, or 
small loaves. Cut nicely a round or oval hole in the top 
of each, saving the pieces that come ofT. Then carefully 
scoop out the crumb from the inside, leaving the crust 
standing. Have ready a sufficient quantity of large fresh 
oysters. Put the oysters with one-fourth of their liquor 
into a stew-pan ; adding the bread-crumbs ; a large piece 
of fresh butter; some powdered nutmeg; and a few 
blades of mace. Stew them about ten minutes. Then 
stir in two or three large table-spoonfuls of cream ; take 
them off' just as they are coming to a boil. If cooked too 
long the oysters will become tough and shrivelled, and the 
cream will curdle. Fill the inside of your scooped loaves 
with the oysters, reserving as many large oysters as you 
have loaves. Place the bit of upper-crust carefully on 
the top of each, so as to cover the whole. Arrange them 
on a dish, and lay on each lid one of the large oysters 
kept out for the purpose. These ornamental oysters 
must be well drained from any liquid that is about them. 



OYSTER OMELET.— Having strained the liquor 
from twenty-five oysters of the largest size, mince them 



FISH, ETC. 29 

small ; omitting the hard part or gristle. If you cannot 
get large oysters, you should have forty or fifty small 
ones. Break into a shallow pan six, seven, or eight eggs, 
according to the quantity of minced oysters. Omit half 
the whites, and, (having beaten the eggs till very light, 
thick, and smooth,) mix the oysters gradually into them, 
adding a little cayenne pepper, and some powdered nut- 
meg. Put three ounces or more of the best fresh butter 
into a small frying-pan, if you have no pan especially for 
omelets. Place it over a clear fire, and when the butter 
(which should be previously cut up) has come to a boil, 
put in the omelet-mixture ; stir it till it begin to set; and 
fry it a light brown, lifting the edge several times by 
slipping a knife under it, and taking care not to cook it 
too much or it will shrivel and become tough. When 
done, clap a large hot plate or dish on the top of the 
omelet, and turn it quickly and carefully out of the pan. 
Fold it over ; and serve it up immediately. It is a fine 
breakfast dish. This quantity will make one large or 
two small omelets. 

Clam omelets may be made as above. 

An omelet-pan should be smaller than a common 
frying-pan, and lined with tin. In a large pan the 
omelet will spread too much, and become thin like a 
pancake. 

Never turn an omelet while frying, as that will make 
it heavy and tough. When done, brown it by holding a 
red-hot shovel or salamander close above the top. 

Excellent omelets may be made of cold boiled ham, or 
smoked tongue ; grated or minced small, mixed with a 
sufficiency of beaten eggs, and fried in butter. 



ANCHOVY TOAST.— Cut four slices of bread and 
toast them ; having first pared off the crust. Butter the 
toast on both sides. Wash, scrape, and chop ten an- 
3* 



30 THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 

chovies and put them thickly between the slices of toast. 
Beat the yolks of four eggs, and then mix them with 
half a pint of cream. Put the mixture into a sauce-pan, 
and set it over the fire to simmer till thick ; but do not 
allow it to boil. Stir it well, lest it should curdle. When 
it is near boiling, take it ofF, and pour it hot over the 
toast. 

Tongue toast may be made in this way. 
— # — 

OYSTER TOAST may be made as above ; substi- 
tuting minced oysters for the anchovy ; seasoning them 
with cayenne ; and boiling a few blades of mace with 

the egg and cream. 

— • — ■ 

BROILED OYSTERS.— Take the largest and finest 
oysters. See that your gridiron is very clean. Rub the 
bars with fresh butter, and set it over a clear steady fire, 
entirely clear from smoke ; or on a bed of bright hot 
wood coals. Place the oysters on the gridiron, and when 
done on one side, take a fork and turn them on the other; 
being careful not to let them burn. Put some fresh 
butter in the bottom of a dish. Lay the oysters on it, 
and season them slightly with pepper. Send them to 
table hot. 



FRENCH OYSTER PIE.— Having buttered the 
inside of a deep dish, line it with pufT-paste rolled out 
rather thick, and prepare another sheet of paste for the 
lid. Put a clean towel into the dish (folded so as to 
support the lid) and then put on the lid ; set it into the 
oven, and bake the paste well. When done, remove the 
lid, and take out the folded towel. While the paste is 
baking, prepare the oysters. Having picked ofF carefully 
any bits of shell that may be found about them, lay them 
in a seive and drain off the liquor into a pan. Put the 



FISH, ETC. 31 

oysters into a skillet or stew-pan, with barely enough of 
the liquor to keep them from burning. Season them 
with whole pepper ; blades of mace ; some grated nut- 
meg; and some grated lemon-peel, (the yellow rind 
only,) and a little finely minced celery. Then add a 
large portion of fresh butter, divided into bits, and very 
slightly dredged with flour. Let the oysters simmer 
over the fire, but do not allow them to come to a boil, as 
that will shrivel them. Next beat the yolks only, of 
three, four, or five eggs, (in proportion to the size of the 
pie,) and stir the beaten egg into the stew a few minutes 
before you take it from the fire. Keep it warm till the 
paste is baked. Then carefully remove the lid of the 
pie ; and replace it, after you have filled the dish with 
the oysters and gravy. 

The lid of the pie may be ornamented with a wreath 
of leaves cut out of paste, and put on before baking. In 
the centre, place a paste-knot or flower. 

Oyster pies are generally eaten warm ; but they are 
very good cold. 

. « 

CLAM PIE. — Take a sufficient number of clams to 
fill a large pie-dish when opened. Make a nice paste 
in the proportion of a pound of fresh butter to two quarts 
of flour. Paste for shell-fish, or meat, or chicken pies 
should be rolled out double the thickness of that intended 
for fruit pies. Line the sides and bottom of your pie-dish 
with paste. Then cover the bottom with a thin beef- 
steak, divested of bone and fat. Put in the clams, and 
season them with mace, nutmeg, and a few whole pep- 
per-corns. No salt. Add a spoonful of butter rolled in 
flour, and some hard-boiled yolks of eggs crumbled fine. 
Then put in enough of the clam-liquor to make sufficient 
gravy. Put on the lid of the pie, (which like the bottom 



32 

crust should be rolled out thick,) notch it handsomely, 
ana bake it well. It should be eaten warm. 



CLAM FRITTERS.— Put a sufficient quantity of 
clams into a pot of boiling water. The small sand-clams 
will be best. When the shells open wide, take them 
out, extract the clams from the shells, and put them into 
a stew-pan. Strain their liquor, and pour about half of 
it over the clams ; adding a little black pepper. They 
will require no salt. Let them stew, slowly, for half an 
hour ; then take them out ; drain off all the liquor ; and 
mince the clams as fine as possible, omitting the hardest 
parts. You should have as many clams as will make a 
large pint when minced. Make a batter of seven eggs, 
beaten till very thick and light ; and then mixed gra- 
dually with a quart of milk, and a pint of sifted flour, 
stirred in by degrees, and made perfectly smooth and free 
from lumps. Then, gradually, mix the minced clams 
with the batter, and stir the whole very hard. Have 
ready in a frying pan over the fire a sufficiency of boiling 
lard. Put in, with a spoon, the batter so as to form 
fritters, and fry them light brown. Drain them well 
when done, and serve them up hot. 

Oyster fritters may be made as above ; except that the 
oysters must be minced raw, and mixed into the batter 
without having been stewed. 

LOBSTER PATTIES.— Make some puff-paste, and 
spread it on very deep patty-pans. Bake it empty. 
Having boiled well two or three fine lobsters, extract all 
their meat, and mince it very small, mixing it with the 
coral smoothly mashed, and some yolk of hard-boiled egg y 
grated. Season it with a little sait ; some cayenne ; and 
some powdered mace or nutmeg; adding a little yellow 
lemon-rind grated. Moisten the mixture well with 



FISH, ETC. 33 

cream, or fresh butter, or salad oil. Put it into a stew- 
pan ; add a very little water, and let it stew till it just 
comes to a boil. Take it off the fire, and the patties being 
baked, remove them from the tin-pans, place them on a 
large dish, and fill them up to the top with the 
mixture. 

Similar patties may be made of prawns, or crabs. 



A SEA-COAST PIE.— Having boiled a sufficient 
number of crabs or lobsters, extract all the meat from the 
shells, and cut it into mouthfuls. Have ready some fine 
large oysters drained from the liquor. Coyer the bottom 
and sides of a deep dish with puff-paste ; and put in a 
thick layer of crab or lobster, seasoned with a little 
cayenne pepper, and a little grated lemon-peel; and mixed 
with some hard-boiled yolk of egg, crumbled fine, and 
moistened with fresh butter. Next, put a close layer of 
oysters, seasoned with pounded mace and grated nutmeg. 
Lay some bits of butter rolled in flour on the top of the layer. 
Proceed in this manner with alternate layers of crab or 
lobster, and of oysters, till the dish is nearly full. Then 
pour in, at the last, a tea-cupfull of more of the oyster 
liquor, with an equal quantity of rich cream. Have 
ready a thick lid of puff-paste. Put it on the pie ; 
pressing the edges closely so as to unite them all round ; 
and notch them handsomely. Make a wreath of leaves 
cut out of paste, and a flower or knot for the centre ; 
place them on the top-crust; and bake the pie well. 
While it is baking, prepare some balls made of chopped 
oysters ; grated bread-crumbs ; powdered nutmeg, or 
mace ; and grated lemon-peel ; with a little beaten yolk of 
egg to bind together the other ingredients. Having fried 
these balls in butter, drain them, and when the pie is 
baked, lay a circle of them round the top ; between the 
border of paste-leaves and the centre-knot. 



34 

This pie will be found so fine that it ought to be baked 
in a dish which will contain a large quantitj^. 



LOBSTER RISSOLES.— Extract the meat of a boil- 
ed lobster ; mince it as fine as possible ; mix with it the 
coral pounded smooth, and some yolks of hard-boiled eggs 
pounded also. Season it with cayenne pepper, powdered 
mace, and a very little salt. Make a batter of beaten 
egg, milk, and flour. To each egg allow two large table- 
spoonfuls of milk, and a large tea-spoonful of flour. Beat 
the batter well, and then mix the lobster with it gradually, 
till it is stiff enough to make into oval balls, about the size 
of a large plum. Fry them in the best salad oil, and 
serve them up either warm or cold. 

Similar rissoles may be made of raw oysters minced 
fine ; or of boiled clams. These should be fried in lard. 

Very young Indian corn, grated from the cob, prepared 
in the above manner, made into balls, and fried in fresh 
butter, is excellent. Previous to grating it is best to boil 
the ears of corn. 

TO DRESS A TURTLE.— The turtle should be 
taken out of water, and killed over night in winter, and 
early in the morning in summer. Hang it up by the hind 
fins, and before it has had time to draw in its neck, cut 
off its head with a very sharp knife, and leave the turtle 
suspended. It should bleed two or three hours or more, 
before you begin to cut it up. Then lay it on its back 
upon a table : have at hand several vessels of cold water, 
in which to throw the most important parts as you sepa- 
rate them ; also a large boiler of hot water. Take off the 
fins at the joint, and lay them by themselves in cold wa- 
ter ; next divide the back-shell from the under-shell. 
The upper part of the turtle is called the calipash — the 
under part the calipee. In cutting open the turtle, be very 



FISH, ETC. 35 

careful not to break the gall, which should be taken out 
and thrown away ; if broken, its bitterness will spoil all 
around it. Take out the entrails, and throw them into a 
tub of cold water. When well washed, open them from 
end to end with a small penknife, scrape off the inside 
skin, and, to cleanse them thoroughly, draw them several 
times through a woollen cloth. Wash, also, the liver, 
lungs, heart, kidneys, &c, and lay them in cold water ; 
the liver in a pan by itself. If there are eggs, put them 
also into cold water. Having extracted the intestines, 
stand up the turtle on end, to let the blood run out. 
Afterwards cut out all the flesh from the upper and 
under shells, and remove the bones. Cut the calipee 
(or meat belonging to the under-shell) into pieces about 
as large as the palm of your hand, and break the shell. 
The calipash, or meat next the back-shell, may be cut 
smaller — the green fat into pieces about two inches 
square. Put all the meat into a large pan, sprinkle it 
slightly with salt, and cover it up. Lay the shells and 
fins in a tub of boiling water, and scald them till the 
scales can be scraped off with a knife, and all the meat 
that still adheres to the shells easily removed, as it is 
worth saving. Clean the fins nicely, (taking off the 
dark skin,) and lay them in cold water. Wipe the back- 
shell dry, and set it aside. Then proceed to make the 
soup. For this purpose, take the coarser pieces of flesh 
with the bones and entrails. Put them into a pot with a 
pound of ham cut into pieces, and eight large calves'-feet 
(two sets) that have been singed and scraped but not 
skinned. If you cannot conveniently obtain calvts'-feet, 
substitute a large fore-leg»r knuckle of veal. Add four 
onions sliced thin ; two table-spoonfuls of sweet-marjoram 
leaves ; a large bunch of parsley ; a dozen blades of 
mace ; and a salt-spoon of cayenne. The ham will make 
any other salt unnecessary. Pour on as much water as 



36 

will completely cover the whole, and let it simmer slowly 
over a steady fire during five hours, skimming it well. If 
after a while the soup seems to be boiling away too much, 
replenish it with a little hot water from a kettle, kept boil- 
ing hard for the purpose. When it has simmered five hours, 
take up the whole, and strain the soup through a sieve into 
a deep pan. Wash out the soup-pot with hot water, and 
return the strained soup to it, with the entrails cut into 
small pieces, and some of the best of the meat and a por- 
tion of the green fat. Have ready two or three dozen 
force-meat balls about the size of a boy's marble, and made 
of the usual proportions of minced veal, bread-crumbs, 
butter, grated lemon-peel, mace, nutmeg, and beaten yolk 
of egg. Put them into the soup, and let it boil an hour 
longer ; also the eggs of the turtle, or some hard-boiled 
yolks of eggs. After it has thus boiled another hour, add 
two sliced lemons and a pint of Madeira. Boil the soup 
a quarter of an hour longer, and it will then be ready for 
the tureen. It must never boil hard. 

In the mean time, stew in another pot the finest of the 
turtle-meat, seasoned with a little salt, and cayenne, and 
a liberal allowance of sweet-marjoram leaves rubbed fine, 
and mixed with powdered mace and nutmeg. Add a 
pound of fresh butter, cut into quarters and rolled in flour. 
When the turtle-meat has stewed an hour, put in the 
green fat, add the grated peel, and the juice of two lemons, 
and a pint or more of Madeira, and let the whole stew 
slowly an hour longer. While the meat is stewing, take 
the shell off the back ; wash it clean, and wipe it dry, 
lay a band of puff-paste all round the inside of the shell, 
two inches below the edge, *nd two inches above it. 
Notch the paste handsomely, and fill the shell with the 
stewed turtle. Have ready the oven, heated as if for 
bread. Lay a large iron baking-sheet or a square pan 
upon four bricks (one at each corner) to elevate the shell 



FISH, ETC. 37 

from the floor of the oven. Place on it the turtle-shell 
with its contents, and let it bake till well browned on the 
surface. Send it to table in the shell placed on a large 
dish. At the other end set the tureen of soup. Have 
ready as two side dishes the fins stewed tender in a little 
of the soup ; and the liver fried in butter. Garnish with 
lemons cut in half. 

This receipt is for a turtle of moderate size. A large 
one will of course require an increased proportion of all 
the articles used in seasoning it — more wine, &c. In 
serving up turtle at a dinner-party, let it constitute the 
first course, and have no other dishes on table with it. 
There is no need of any other fish or soup. 



38 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 



AN EXCELLENT WAY OF BOILING CAB- 
BAGE. — Having trimmed the cabbage, and washed it 
well in cold water, (examining the leaves to see that no 
insects are lurking among them,) cut it almost into quar- 
ters, but do not divide it entirely down at the stem, 
which should be cut off just below the termination of the 
leaves. Let it lie an hour in a pan of cold water. Have 
ready a pot full of boiling water, seasoned with a small 
tea-spoonful of salt. Put the cabbage into it, and let it 
boil for an hour and a half, skimming it occasionally. 
Then take it out ; put it into a cullender to drain, and 
when all the hot water has drained off, set it under the 
hydrant. Let the hydrant run on it, till the cabbage has 
become perfectly cold all through. If you have no hy- 
drant, set it under a pump, or keep pouring cold water 
on it from a pitcher. Then, having thrown out all the 
first water, and washed the pot, fill it again, and let the 
second water boil. During this time the cabbage under 
the hydrant will be growing cold. Then put it on again 
in the second water, and boil it two hours, or two and a 
half. Even the thickest part of the stalk must be per- 
fectly tender all through. When thoroughly done, take 
up the cabbage, drain it well through the cullender, 
pressing it down with a broad ladle to squeeze out all the 
moisture ; lay it in a deep dish, and cut it entirely apart, 
dividing it into quarters. Lay some bits of fresh butter 
among the leaves, add a little pepper, cover the dish, and 
send it to table hot. 

This receipt for boiling cabbage was obtained from a 
physician, and on trial has been found very superior to 
any other, Cabbage cooked in this manner loses its un 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 39 

pleasant odour, and its unwholesome properties, and may- 
be eaten without apprehension, except by persons de- 
cidedly dyspeptic. The usual cabbage-smell will not be 
perceptible in the house — either while the cabbage is 
boiling or afterwards. 

If you like it boiled with corned pork or bacon, the 
second boiling (after the cabbage has been made cold 
under the hydrant) may be in the pot with the meat — 

skimming it well. 

— * — 

TO STEW RED CABBAGE.— Having stripped off 
the outer leaves, and washed the cabbage, quarter it, 
remove all the stalk, and: cut the cabbage into shreds. 
Slice some cold ham as thin as possible, and put it into 
a stew-pan, alternately with layers of shred cabbage ; 
having first laid some bits of fresh butter in the bottom 
of the pan. Add about half a pint of boiling water. 
Cover the pan closely, and let it stew steadily for three 
hours, till the cabbage is very tender, and the liquid all 
wasted ; taking care not to let it burn. If you find it so 
dry as to be in danger of scorching, add a little more 
boiling water. When done, press and drain it through 
a cullender, and serve it up with the cabbage heaped in 
the middle of the dish, and the ham laid round. 

It may be improved by adding, before it begins to stew, 
a j ill of red beet vinegar. 

White cabbage may be stewed as above. Also cauli- 
flower or broccoli, omitting the vinegar. 



YOUNG CORN OMELET.— -To a dozen ears of 
fine young Indian corn allow five eggs. Boil the corn a 
quarter of an hour; and then, with a large grater, grate it 
down from the cob. Beat the eggs very light, and then 
stir gradually the grated corn into the pan of eggs. Add 
a small salt-spoon of salt, and a very little cayenne. Put 



40 the lady's receipt-book. 

into a hot frying-pan equal quantities of lard and fresh 

butter, and stir them well together, over the fire. When 

they boil, put in the mixture thick, and fry it ; afterwards 

browning the top with a red-hot shovel, or a salamander. 

Transfer it, when done, to a heated dish, but do not fold 

it over. It will be found excellent. This is a good way 

of using boiled corn that has been left from dinner the 

preceding day. 

— * — 

CAULIFLOWER OMELET.— Take the white part 
of a boiled cauliflower after it is cold ; chop it very small, 
and mix with it a sufficient quantity of well-beaten egg t 
to make a very thick batter. Then fry it in fresh butter 
in a small pan, and send it hot to table. 



FRIED CAULIFLOWER.— Having laid a fine cau- 
liflower in cold water for an hour, put it into a pot of 
boiling water that has been slightly salted, (milk and 
water will be still better,) and boil it twenty-five minutes, 
or till the large stalk is perfectly tender. Then divide it, 
equally, into small tufts, and spread it on a dish to cool. 
Prepare a sufficient quantity of batter made -in the pro- 
portion of a table-spoonful of flour, and two table-spoonfuls 
of milk to each egg. Beat the eggs very light ; then stir 
into them the flour and milk alternately ; a spoonful of 
flour, and two spoonfuls of milk at a time. When the 
cauliflower is cold, have ready some fresh butter in a 
frying-pan over a clear fire. When it has come to a boil 
and has done bubbling, dip each tuft of cauliflower twice 
into the pan of batter, and fry them a light brown. Send 
them to table hot. 

Broccoli may be fried in this manner. 



CAULIFLOWER M ACC ARONL— Ha ving removed 
the outside leaves, and cut off the stalk, wash the cauli- 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 41 

flower, and examine it thoroughly to see if there are any 
insects about it. Next lay it for an hour in a pan of cold 
water. Then put it into a pot of boiling milk and water 
that has had a little fresh butter melted in it. Whatever 
scum may float on the top of the water must be removed 
before the cauliflower goes in. Boil it, steadily, half an 
hour, or till it is quite tender. Then take it out, drain it, 
and cut it into short sprigs. Have ready three ounces 
of rich, but not strong cheese, grated fine. Put into a 
stew-pan a quarter of a pound of fresh butter ; nearly 
half of the grated cheese ; two large table-spoonfuls of 
cream or rich milk ; and a very little salt and cayenne. 
Toss or shake it over the fire, till it is well mixed, and 
has come to a boil. Then add the tufts of cauliflower ; 
and let the whole stew together about five minutes. 
When done, put it into a deep dish ; strew over the top 
the remaining half of the grated cheese, and brown it 
with a salamander or a red hot shovel held above the 
surface. 

This will be found very superior to real maccaroni. 

BROCCOLI AND EGGS.— Take several heads of 
broccoli, and cut the stalks short, paring off from the 
stalks the tough outside skin. Trim off the small outside 
shoots or blossoms, and tie them together in bunches. 
After all the broccoli has been washed, and lain half an 
hour or more in a pan of fresh, cold water, put the large 
heads, with a salt-spoonful of salt, into a pot of boiling 
water, and let them boil till thoroughly done, and the 
stalk perfectly tender. When the large heads have 
boiled about a quarter of an hour, put in the small tufts, 
which of course require less time to cook. In the mean- 
while have ready six- beaten eggs. Put a quarter of a 
pound of butter into a sauce-pan, and stir it over the fire 
till it is all melted ; then add gradually the beaten eggs, 

4* 



42 the lady's receipt-book. 

and stir the mixture, or shake it over the fire till it be- 
comes very thick. Toast sufficient bread to cover en- 
tirely the bottom of a deep dish, cutting it to fit exactly, 
having removed the crust. Pour the egg and butter 
over the hot toast. Then place upon it the broccoli ; the 
largest and finest head in the middle, the lesser ones 
round it ; and having untied the small sprigs, lay them 
in a circle close to the edge. 

FRIED CELERY.— Take fine large celery ; cut it 
into pieces three or four inches in length, and boil it 
tender ; having seasoned the water with a very little salt. 
Then drain the pieces well, and lay them, separately, to 
cool on a large dish. Make a batter in the proportion of 
three well-beaten eggs stirred into a pint of rich milk, 
alternately with half a pint of grated bread-crumbs, or 
of sifted flour. Beat the batter very hard after it is all 
mixed. Put into a hot frying-pan, a sufficiency of fresh 
lard ; melt it over the fire, and when it comes to a boil, 
dip each piece of celery twice into the batter, put them 
into the pan, and fry them a light brown. When done, 
lay them to drain on an inverted sieve with a broad pan 
placed beneath it. Then dish the fried celery, and send 
it to table hot. 

Parsnips, and salsify (or oyster plant) may be fried in 
butter according to the above directions. Also the tops 
of asparagus cut off from the stalk ; and the white part 
or blossom of cauliflower. Cold sweet potatoes are very 
nice, peeled, cut into long slips, and fried in this way. 

FRIED ARTICHOKES.— The artichokes must be 
young and tender. Cut them into quarters, remove the 
choke part, and strip off the leaves. Having washed the 
artichokes well, and laid them an hour in cold water, put 
them into a pot of boiling water, and keep them boiling 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 43 

steadily for a long time, till you find by trying them with 
a fork that theyare tender all through. Then take them 
out immediately, and drain them. Have ready a suffi- 
ciency of batter, made in the preportion of the yolk of one 
egg to a large table-spoonful of milk, and a tea-spoonful 
of flour. The eggs must be well beaten before they are 
mixed with the milk ; then beat in the flour a spoonful 
at a time. Have ready over the fire some fresh butter, 
or lard, in a frying-pan. When it has boiled hard, dip the 
artichokes into the batter, (each piece should be twice 
dipped,) and fry them brown. Then drain them well, 
and send them to table hot. 

Parsnips may be fried as above. Salsify also. 

Another way of frying artichokes, parsnips, and salsify, 
is, after they have been boiled tender, to dip each piece 
first in beaten yolk of egg, (without milk or flour,) and 
then roll it in finely-grated bread-crumbs. Then put 
them into the pan and fry them in butter or lard, or a 
mixture of both. 

In boiling artichokes, observe to take them out as soon 
as they are tender. If they remain in the water after 
they are done, they turn blackish and lose their flavour. 

MUSHROOM OMELET.— Take some fresh-gathered 
mushrooms ; remove the stalks, and rub the flaps or 
heads very slightly with a little salt, mixed with cayenne. 
Then stew the mushrooms in a small sauce-pan, with 
barely sufficient cream or rich milk to cover them. Put 
in with them a small onion ; and if the onion is found to 
turn blackish, throw away the whole ; it being proof that 
there is among them a false or poisonous mushroom. 
Stir them with a silver spoon, and keep on the lid of the 
pan closely ; unless when you are stirring. If the spoon 
turns black, the mushrooms should not be eaten. 

After they have come to a boil, take them off the fire; 



44 the lady's receipt-book. 

drain them, and when cool, chop them small. To a pint 
or more of the minced mushrooms, allow six or seven 
eggs. Beat the eggs till very light and thick, (omitting 
the whites of two,) and then mix in, gradually, the mush- 
rooms ; stirring the whole very hard. Put. three ounces 
of fresh butter into a hot omelet-pan, or a small frying- 
pan ; place it over the fire, and stir the butter as it melts. 
When it has boiled hard, put in the omelet mixture, and 
as it fries, stir it till it begins to set. Do not turn the 
omelet; but brown the top by holding close above it a 
red-hot shovel. When done, drain off the butter ; fold 
over or double the omelet ; and serve it up immediately, 
on a hot dish. 

In gathering mushrooms, those that are fit to eat may 
be known by their being of a pale pearl colour, or of a 
grayish white, instead of what is called a dead white ; 
and the under side of the flap or head (if good) is of a 
light pink, or a pinkish salmon colour. The best mush- 
rooms grow on uplands, or in high open fields where the 
air is pure and good, and they should be gathered early 
in the morning before the dew is ofT. All that are found 
in low swampy ground, or in the woods, or under large 
trees are poisonous. 

SCOLLOPED TOMATOES.— Take fine large to- 
matoes, perfectly ripe. Scald them to loosen the skins, 
and then peel them. Cover the bottom of a deep dish 
thickly with grated bread-crumbs, adding a few bits of 
fresh butter. Then put in a layer of tomatoes, seasoned 
slightly with a little salt and cayenne, and some powdered 
mace or nutmeg. Cover them with another layer of 
bread-crumbs and butter. Then another layer of sea- 
soned tomatoes ; and proceed thus till the dish is full, 
finishing at the top with bread-crumbs. Set the dish 
into a moderate oven, and bake it near three hours 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 45 

Tomatoes require long cooking, otherwise they will have 
a raw taste, that to most persons is unpleasant. 



FRENCH SPINACH.— Having picked them from 
the stalks, wash the leaves carefully in two or three cold 
waters, till they are quite free from grifr. Put the spi- 
nach into a sauce-pan of hot water, in which a very small 
portion of salt has been boiled. There must be sufficient 
water to allow the spinach to float. Stir it frequently, 
that all the leaves may be equally done. Let it boil for 
a quarter of an hour. Then take it out, lay it in a sieve, 
and drain it well ; pressing it thoroughly with your hands. 
Next chop it as fine as possible. For a large dish of spi- 
nach, put two ounces of butter into a stew-pan; dredge 
in a table-spoonful of flour and four or five table-spoon- 
fuls of rich cream, mixed with a tea^spoonful of pow- 
dered loaf-sugar. Mix all well, and when they have 
come to a boil, add, gradually, the spinach. Stew it 
about ten minutes, (stirring it frequently,) till the super- 
fluous moisture is all absorbed. Then serve it up very 
hot, garnishing it all round with leaves of puff-paste, that 
have been handsomely formed with a tin cutter, and are 
fresh from the oven. 



STEWED SPINACH.— Pick the spinach very clean, 
and wash it through two or three waters. Then drain 
it, and put it into a sauce-pan, with only the water that 
remains about it after the washing. Add a very little 
salt and pepper, and let it stew for twenty minutes, or 
till it is quite tender ; turning it often, and pressing it 
down with a broad wooden spoon or flat ladle. When 
done, drain it through a sieve, pressing out all the mois- 
ture, till you get it as dry as you can. Then put it on a 
flat dish, and chop or mince it well. Set it again over 
the fire ; add to it some bits of butter dredged with flour, 



46 the lady's receipt-book. 

and some beaten yolk of egg. Let it simmer five mi- 
nutes or more, and when it comes to a boil, take it off. 
Have ready some thin slices of buttered toast, cut into tri- 
angular or three-cornered pieces, without any crust. Lay 
them in regular order round a flat dish, and heap the 
spinach evenly upon them, smoothing the surface with 
the back of a spoon, and scoring it across in diamonds. 



ASPARAGUS LOAVES.— Having scraped the stalks 
of three bundles of fine, large asparagus, (laying it, as you 
proceed, in a pan of cold water,) tie it up again in 
bunches, put them into a pot with a great deal of boiling 
water, and a little salt, and boil them about twenty minutes, 
or till quite tender. Then take out the asparagus, and 
drain it. Cut off the green tops of two-thirds of the as^ 
paragus, and on the remainder leave about two inches of 
the white stalk ; this remaining asparagus must be kept 
warm. Put the tops into a stew-pan with a pint of cream, 
or rich milk, sufficient to cover them well ; adding three 
table-spoonfuls of fresh butter, rolled in flour, half a grated 
nutmeg, and the well-beaten yolks of three eggs. Set 
the stew-pan over hot coals, and stir the mixture till it 
comes to a boil. Then immediately remove it. Have 
ready some tall fresh rolls or penny loaves ; cut the tops 
carefully off, in a nice circular or oval piece, and then 
scoop out the inside of the rolls, and fill them with the 
stewed asparagus while it is hot. Make small holes very 
nicely in the tops or lids. Fit the lids again on the rolls, 
and stick in the holes (of which you must make as many 
as you can) the remaining asparagus, that has had the 
bit of stalk left on for this purpose. Send them to table 
warm, as side-dishes. 

ASPARAGUS OMELET.— Take two bunches of the 
iargest and finest asparagus. Put it into a pot of boiling 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 47 

water, with a tea-spoonful of salt, and boil it about twenty- 
five minutes, or till perfectly tender. Then drain it, and 
chop small all the green part. Beat four eggs very light, 
and add to them a wine-glass of cream. Mix the chop- 
ped asparagus thoroughly with the egg and cream, add- 
ing a salt-spoon of salt, and a very little cayenne. Melt 
a large slice of fresh butter in a frying-pan over the fire ; 
and when it has boiled, and the bubbling has ceased, put 
in the mixture, and fry it till light and firm. Then slip 
it from the frying-pan to a hot dish, and fold it over. 

For a soft omelet, put the mixture into a skillet, with a 
piece of fresh butter. Let it stew slowly for ten minutes. 
Lay a thin slice of buttered toast in the bottom of a hot 
dish, and cut the toast into small squares, but let them 
remain close together. With a spoon heap the soft ome- 
let upon the toast, and serve it up. 

Any omelet mixture may be kept soft by slewing in- 
stead of frying it, and it will be found far more whole- 
some. 



STEWED PEAS.-Take young, tender green peas, 
and put into a stew-pan, with sufficient fresh butter to 
keep them from burning, but no water. Season them 
with a little black pepper, and a very little salt. Set 
them over a moderate fire, and stir them about till the but- 
ter is well mixed through them. Let them simmer till 
quite soft and slightly broken ; taking off the lid occa- 
sionally, and giving them a stir up from the bottom. If 
you find them becoming too dry, add some more butter. 
When done, drain off what superfluous butter may be 
about the peas, and send them to table hot. They will 
be found excellent. 

To the taste of many persons, they will be improved 
by a lump or two of loaf-sugar put in with the butter, 



48 the lady's receipt-book. 

and also by a few sprigs of mint, to be removed before 
the peas go to table. 

Lima beans may be stewed in butter, as above : also, 
asparagus tops, cut off from the white stalk. 

FRENCH PEAS.— The peas should be young, 
freshly gathered, and shelled immediately before they 
are cooked. Boil them in water slightly salted, till they 
are perfectly tender. Then put them into a sieve, and 
drain them as dry as possible. To each quart of peas 
allow an ounce and a half of the best fresh butter ; a 
large tea-spoonful of flour ; and six table -spoonfuls or a 
tea-cup of rich cream ; with a small tea-spoonful of pow- 
dered sugar. Put the butter into a stew-pan ; place it 
over the fire ; and when it comes to a boil, stir in the 
flour, making it quite smooth, and free from lumps. 
Having mixed the sugar with the cream, add it, gra- 
dually, to the butter and flour ; and when it boils hard 
stir in the peas, and let them stew till they are all hot 
through. While stewing, stir them occasionally to pre- 
vent their burning. If the pan is small it is better to 

shake it over the fire. 

. — « — 

LETTUCE PEAS.— Having washed four lettuces, 
and stripped off the outside leaves, take their hearts, and 
(having chopped them well) put them into a stew-pan 
with two quarts of young green peas, freshly shelled ; 
a lump or two of loaf-sugar ; and three or four leaves of 
green mint minced as finely as possible. Then put in a 
slice of cold ham, and a quarter of a pound of butter 
divided into four bits and rolled in flour ; and two table- 
spoonfuls of water. Add a little black pepper, and let . 
the whole stew for about twenty-five minutes, or till the • 
peas are thoroughly done. Then take out the ham, and I 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 49 

add to the stew half a pint of cream. Let it continue 
stewing five minutes longer. Then send it to table. 



PLAIN LETTUCE PEAS.— Cover the bottom and 
sides of a stew-pan with large fresh leaves taken from 
lettuces. Have ready the peas, which should be young 
and green. To each quart of shelled peas allow two 
table-spoonfuls of fresh butter, and a lump of loaf sugar. 
Add a very little pepper and salt, and a sprig of green 
mint. Cover the pan closely, and let it stew for half an 
hour, or till the peas are thoroughly done. Then take 
ther nou t from the lettuce leaves, and send only the peas 
tot4P» 



TO STEW CARROTS.— Half-boil the carrots; then 
scrape them nicely, and cut them into thick slices. Put 
them into a stew-pan with as much milk as will barely 
cover them, a very little salt and pepper, and a sprig or 
two of chopped parsley. Simmer them till they are per- 
fectly tender, but not broken. When nearly done, add a 
piece of fresh butter rolled in flour. Send them to table 
hot. Carrots require long cooking. 

Parsnips and salsify may be stewed in the above man- 
ner, substituting a little chopped celery for the parsley. 



STEWED BEANS, {French way.)— Take fresh 
young green beans, and string them. Do not split them; 
but merely cut them in half. It destroys the flavour of 
string-beans to divide them into small pieces. If very 
young, do not even cut them in half, but merely string 
them and leave them whole. Have by you a pan of cold 
water to drop the beans in, as you proceed. Then, hav- 
ing washed and drained them, put them into a stew-pan 
of boiling water, and let them boil twenty minutes or 

5 



50 

more, till they are all tender, Then drain them well. 
Afterwards melt two ounces of butter in a stew-pan, and 
then stir smoothly into it a tea-spoonful of flour, adding 
a little powdered mace and a salt-spoon of salt. When 
it comes to a boil, add a tea-cup of rich cream. Then 
put in the beans, and stir or shake them over the fire till 
they are all thoroughly heated. A moment before you 
take them from the fire, stir in the beaten yolks of two 
eggs, and send them hot to table. 

For this dish, you must have beans enough to absorb 
nearly all the liquid. They must on no account float 
about in it, as it is intended for a seasoning, not a eravy. 



Stewed beans will be improved by adding agnail 
piece of cold ham, to be removed before WSy go to table. 
If ham is used, omit any salt in the seasoning, as the 
ham will make it quite salt enough. 



TO STEW COLD POTATOES.— Take cold pota- 
toes, (either white or sweet ones,) and cut them into round 
or circular slices. Have ready some nice gravy of roast 
beef, veal, or fresh pork, that has been left from the pre- 
ceding day, and well skimmed. Care should every day 
be taken to save whatever gravy is left of roast meat, 
skimming off all the fat from the surface, and putting 
away the gravy in a covered vessel set in a cool place. 
The gravy of cold mutton or lamb is so like tallow that 
it is unfit to use in any sort of cookery, and should al- 
ways be consigned to the crock of soap-fat. 

Season the sliced potatoes slightly with pepper, and 
putting them into a skillet with the cold gravy among 
them, stew them in that only, without a drop of water. 
Let them stew but a quarter of an hour. They are nice 
at breakfast, done in this manner ; sweet potatoes 
especially. 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 51 

TO IMPROVE OLD POT A TOES. —In the spring 
when the potatoes of the preceding autumn have become 
old, and deteriorated in quality, they will be greatly im- 
proved if, previous to boiling, a piece about the size of a 
shilling or a twelve-cent-piece, is cut off from each end ; 
like " topping and tailing" them. Afterwards boil these 
potatoes with the skins on, and see that they are 
thoroughly done. Old potatoes require very long boil- 
ing, and are unfit to eat if hard in the centre, being then 
extremely indigestible. Their specks and blemishes 
make them so unsightly when sent to table whole, that it 
is best when sufficiently boiled, to peel and mash them. 
Mash them with milk or cream, if you cannot obtain 
good fresh butter. Salt butter will spoil their flavour 
instead of improving it, and all bad butter (whether salt 
or fresh) is unwholesome, as well as unpalatable, and 
should never be used for any purpose. 



SYDNEY SMITH'S SALAD-DRESSING.— Have 

ready two well-boiled potatoes, peeled and rubbed through 
a sieve ; they will give peculiar smoothness to the mix- 
ture. Also, a very small portion of raw onion, not more 
than a quarter of a tea-spoonful, (as the presence of the 
onion is to be scarcely hinted,) and the pounded yolks of 
two hard-boiled eggs. Mix these ingredients on a deep 
plate with two small tea-spoonfuls of salt ; one of made 
mustard ; three table-spoonfuls of olive oil ; and one table- 
spoonful of vinegar. Add, lastly, a tea-spoonful of essence 
of anchovy ; mash, and mix the whole together (using a 
boxwood spoon) and see that all the articles are thoroughly 
amalgamated. Having cut up a sufficiency of lettuce, 
(that has been well washed in cold water, and drained,) 
add to it the dressing immediately before dinner, mixing 
the lettuce through it with a boxwood fork. 



52 

This salad dressing was invented by the Rev. Sydney 
Smith, whose genius as a writer and a wit is well-known 
on both sides the Atlantic. If exactly followed, it will be 
found very fine on trial ; no peculiar flavour predominat- 
ing, but excellent as a whole. The above directions are 
taken from a manuscript receipt given by Mr. Smith to 
an American gentleman then in London. 

In preparing this, or any other salad-dressing, take 
care not to use that excessively pungent and deleterious 
combination of drugs which is now so frequently imposed 
upon the public, as the best white wine vinegar. In 
reality, it has no vinous material about it, and it may 
be known by its violent and disagreeable sharpness, 
which overpowers and destroys the taste (and also the 
substance) of whatever it is mixed with. And it is also 
very unwholesome. Its colour is always very pale, and 
it is nearly as clear as water. No one should buy or use 
it. The first quality of real cider vinegar is good for all 
purposes. 

The above receipt may be tried for lobster-dressing. 



LETTUCE CHICKEN SALAD.—Having skinned 
a pair of cold fowls, remove the fat, and carve them as if 
for eating, cut all the flesh entirely from the bones, and 
either mince it or divide it into small shreds. Mix with 
it a little smoked tongue or cold ham, grated rather than 
chopped. Have ready one or two fine fresh lettuces, 
picked, washed, drained, and cut small. Put the cut 
lettuce on a dish, (spreading it evenly,) or into a large 
bowl, and place upon it the minced chicken in a close 
heap in the centre. For the dressing, mix together the 
following ingredients, in the proportion of the yolks of 
four eggs well beaten ; a tea-spoonful of powdered white 
sugar ; a salt-spoon of cayenne ; (no salt if you have ham 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 53 

or tongue with the chicken ;) two tea-spoonfuls of made 
mustard ; two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, and four table- 
spoonfuls of salad oil. Stir this mixture well : put it into 
a small sauce-pan, set it over the fire, and let it boil three 
minutes, (not more,) stirring it all the time. Then set it 
to cool. When quite cold, cover with it thickly the heap 
of chicken in the centre of the salad. To ornament it, 
have ready half a dozen or more hard-boiled eggs, which 
after the shell is peeled off, must be thrown directly into 
a pan of cold water to prevent their turning blue. Cut 
each egg (white and yolk together) lengthways into four 
long pieces of equal size and shape ; lay the pieces upon 
the salad all round the heap of chicken, and close to 
it ; placing them so as to follow each other round in a 
slanting direction, something in the form of a circular 
wreath of leaves. Have ready, also, some very red cold 
beet, cut into small cones or points all of equal size ; ar- 
range them in a circle upon the lettuce, outside of the 
circle of cut egg. To be decorated in this manner, the 
salad should be placed in a dish rather than a bowl. In 
helping it, give each person a portion of every thing, and 
they will mix them together on their plates. 

This salad should be prepared immediately before 
dinner or supper, as standing long will injure it. The 
colder it is the better. 



ITALIAN CHICKEN SALAD.— Make a dressing 
in the proportion of the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, 
mashed or pounded fine ; a salt-spoon of salt ; and the 
same quantity of mustard, and of cayenne; and a salt- 
spoon of powdered white sugar ; four table-spoonfuls of 
salad-oil ; and two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, (tarragon 
vinegar will be best.) Simmer this dressing over the 
fire, but do not let it come to a boil. Stir it all the time. 
5* 



54 the lady's receipt-book. 

Take a sufficiency of the white meat of cold fowls, and 
pull or cut it into flakes. Pile it in the middle of a dish, 
and pour the salad-dressing over it. Have ready two fine 
fresh lettuces that have been laid in cold water. Strip 
off the outside leaves ; cut up the best part of the lettuces, 
and arrange it evenly in a ridge, or circular heap all round 
the pile of chicken in the centre. On the top of the ridge 
of lettuce, place the whites of the eggs, cut into rings and 
laid round so as to form a chain. Of course, a portion of 
trie lettuce is to be helped with the chicken. 

A lobster salad may be made as above ; also a salad 
of minced prawns or crabs. 

Persons who have no dislike to a very slight flavour 
of garlic, will find this chicken-salad improved, by a 
clove of garlic being lightly rubbed over the dish while 
empty. 

In dressing and helping every sort of salad, use a box- 
wood spoon and fork. 



TARRAGON SAUCE.— Take a large handful of 
tarragon leaves, stripped from the stalks : put them into 
a small sauce-pan with half a pint of boiling water, and 
four blades of mace. Cover the sauce-pan, and let it 
stew slowly till the liquid is reduced to one half, and the 
flavour of the tarragon is well drawn out. Then strain 
it ; and put the liquid into a clean sauce-pan. Mix 
together a table-spoonful of flour, and six ounces of butter, 
and when it has been well-stirred, and beaten smoothly, 
stir it into the tarragon water. Place the sauce-pan over 
the fire, and watch it closely. When it has simmered 
well, and is just beginning to boil, take it off immediately 
and transfer it to a sauce-boat. Eat it with any sort of 
boiled meat or poultry, or with boiled fish. The tarragon 
will give it a fine flavour. 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 55 

You may add to the tarragon, while stewing, a small 
white onion cut in slices. 

This sauce may be coloured a fine green, by pounding 
in a mortar a sufficient quantity of young parsley or 
spinach. Then take some of the juice, and add it to the 
liquid after you have strained it from the tarragon leaves, 
and before you put in the butter. 

Tarragon is an herb well worth cultivating. It grows 
from a slip or root, and is easily raised. The leaves are 
fit to gather in July and August. They impart a fine 
and peculiar flavour to sauces, soups, and salad ; and are 
indispensable in making French mustard. Tarragon may 
be kept a year or more by drying it in bunches. Also 
by filling a bottle half with tarragon leaves, and half with 
good vinegar. 



FINE LEMON PICKLE.— Take some fresh ripe 
lemons, and (having first rolled each one under your hand 
upon the table) cut them into quarters, and remove all the 
seeds. Put the pieces of lemon, with all the juice, into 
a stone jar. Have ready a sufficient quantity of excellent 
vinegar to cover the lemon well ; the vinegar being boiled 
with a clove or two of garlic ; some blades of mace ; a 
broken up nutmeg; whole pepper, (the white or peeled 
pepper-corns will be best;) some cayenne or bird-pepper; 
and a very little salt. The proportion of these ingre- 
dients may be according to your taste, but the seasoning 
should be high, yet not so as to overpower the lemon- 
flavour. Having boiled the vinegar, with all these arti- 
cles, about ten minutes, pour the whole boiling hot upon 
the lemon in the jar, and immediately cover it closely. 
Let the jar stand three weeks in the chimney-corner, 
stirring it frequently, and setting it occasionally in the 
oven after the baking is done. Then roll a sheet of 



56 

blotting paper into a cone, pinning up the side, and fold- 
ing the cone so as to close up the pointed end. Have 
ready some small clean black bottles. Set the paper 
cone Into the mouth of the bottle, and through it filter the 
liquid. Seal the corks. This will be found an excellent 
sauce for fish, or any sort of white meat ; and will keep 

for years. 

— ♦ — 

PEACH PICKLES.— Stir two pounds of white sugar 
into two quarts of the best cider vinegar. Boil it ten 
minutes, skimming it well. Have ready some large fully- 
ripe peaches; rub tnem with a clean flannel to take off 
the down, and stick four cloves into each. Put them 
into glass or white-ware jars, (rather more than half-full,) 
and pour on them the vinegar boiling hot. Cover them 
closely, set them in a cool place, and let them rest for a 
week. Then ppur of! the liquid, and give it another boil- 
ing. Afterwards pour it again on the peaches ; cover 
them closely, corking the jars, and tying leather over each, 
and put them away till wanted for use. 

Instead of cloves you may stick the peaches with blades 
of mace, six blades to each peach. 

Apricots may be pickled as above. Morella cherries 
also, using mace instead of cloves. 

If you find a coat of mould on the top of a jar of 
pickles, remove it carefully, and do not throw away the 
pickles, as they may still be quite good beneath. 

CUCUMBER CATCHUP.— For a small quantity, 
take twelve fine full-grown cucumbers, and lay them an 
hour in cold water. Then pare them, and grate them 
down into a deep dish. Grate also six small onions, and 
mix them with the grated cucumber. Season the mixture 
to your taste, with pepper, salt, and vinegar; making it 
of the consistence of rich marmalade or jam. When 



VEGETABLES, ETC. 57 

thoroughly incorporated, transfer it to a glass jar, cover it 
closely, tying down over the top a piece of bladder, so as 
to make it perfectly air-tight. 

It will be found very nice (when fresh cucumbers are 
not in season) to eat with beef or mutton, and if properly 
made and tightly covered will keep well. It should be 
grated very fine, and the vinegar must be of excellent 
quality — real cider vinegar. 



ONION CUSTARD.— Peel and slice some mild 
onions, (ten or twelve, in proportion to their size,) and 
fry them in fresh butter ; draining them well when you 
take them up. Then mince them as fine as possible. 
Beat four eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a 
pint of milk, in turn with the minced onions. Season 
the whole with plenty of grated nutmeg; and stir it very 
hard. Then put it into a deep, white dish, and bake it 
about a quarter of an hour. Send it to table as a side dish 
to be eaten with meat or poultry. It is a French prepa- 
ration of onions, and will be found very fine. 



58 



MEATS, ETC. 

STEWED LAMB.— Take a fine quarter of Iamb, 
and for a large dish, cat the whole of it into steaks; for 
a small dish, cut up the loin only ; or slice only the leg. 
Remove the skin, and all the fat. Place at the bottom 
of a large stew-pot a fresh lettuce split into long quarters. 
Having seasoned the steaks with a little salt and cayenne, 
and some powdered nutmeg and mace, lay them upon 
the lettuce, pour on just sufficient water to cover the 
whole, and let it stew gently for an hour, skimming it 
occasionally. Then put in a quart or two of young green 
peas, (in proportion to the quantity of meat,) a sprig of 
fresh green mint, a lump of loaf-sugar, and some bits of 
fresh butter. Let it cook slowly about half an hour longer, 
or till the peas are all soft and well-done. In sending it 
to table, place the meat upon the lettuce, and the peas 
round it. 

Cold ham sliced, and stewed in this manner, will be 
found excellent. The ham having been already cooked, 
half an hour will be sufficient to stew it with the lettuce, 
and another half-hour after the peas are in. 



LAMB CUTLETS, (a French dish.)— Cut a loin of 
lamb into chops. Remove all the fat, trim them nicely, 
scrape the bone, and see that it is the same length in all 
the cutlets. Lay them in a deep dish, and cover them 
with salad oil. Let them steep in the oil. for an hour. 
Mix together a sufficiency of finely grated bread-crumbs, 
and a little minced parsley, seasoned with a very little 
pepper and salt, and some grated nutmeg. Having 
drained the cutlets from the oil, cover them with the mix- 
ture, and broil them over a bed of hot, live coals, on a 



59 

previously heated gridiron, the bars of which have been 
rubbed with chalk. The cutlets must be thoroughly- 
cooked. When half done, turn them carefully. You 
may bake them in a dutch-oven, instead of broiling them. 
Have ready some boiled potatoes, mashed smooth and 
stiff with cream or butter. Heap the mashed potatoes 
high on a heated dish, and make it into the form of a dome 
or bee-hive. Smooth it over with the back of a spoon, 
and place the lamb cutlets all round it, so that they stand 
up and lean against it, with the broad end of each cutlet 
downward. In the top of the dome of potatoes, stick a 
handsome bunch of curled parsley. 



FILLET OF MUTTON.—Cut a fillet or round from 
a leg of mutton ; remove all the fat from the outside, and 
take out the bone. Beat it well on all sides with a meat- 
beetle or a rolling-pin, to make it more tender, and 
rub it slightly all over with a very little pepper and salt. 
Have ready a stuffing made of finely-minced onions, 
bread-crumbs, and butter ; seasoned with a little salt, 
pepper, and nutmeg, and well-mixed. Fill, with some 
of this stuffing, the place of the bone. Make deep in- 
cisions or cuts all over the surface of the meat, and fill 
them closely with the same stuffing. Bind a tape round 
the meat to keep it in shape. Put it into a stew-pan, 
with just water enough to cover it, and let it stew slowly 
and steadily during four, five, or six hours, in proportion 
to its size ; skimming it frequently. When done, serve 
it up with its own gravy. 

Tomato sauce is an excellent accompaniment to stewed 
mutton. 

A thick piece of a round of fresh beef will be found very 
good, stuffed and stewed in the above manner. It will 
require much longer stewing than the mutton. 



00 THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 

STEWED MUTTON CUTLETS.— Having removed 

all the fat and the bone, beat the cutlets to make them 
tender, and season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg. 
Put them into a circular tin kettle, with some bits of fresh 
butter that have been rolled in flour. Set the kettle 
(closely covered) upon a trivet inside of a flat-bottomed 
pot or stew-pan. Pour boiling water all round, but not 
so as to come up to the top of the inner kettle. Set the 
pot over a slow fire, and let the stew simmer for two 
hours. Then lift up the meat, and put under it a lettuce 
cut in four; and three cucumbers, pared, split, and quar- 
tered ; two onions sliced ; and four young turnips cut 
small. Add a few blades of mace, a salt-spoon of salt, 
and a little more butter rolled in flour. Set it again in 
boiling water, taking care that the water does not reach 
the top of the inner kettle, the lid of which must be kept 
very tight. Let it boil slowly, or rather simmer, two 
hours longer. Then dish it, placing the meat upon the 
vegetables, and laying all round a ridge of green peas 
that have been boiled in the usual way. 

The bone (nicely trimmed and scraped) may be left in 
each cutlet ; in which case, when dishing them, stand 
them up in a circle, with the ends of the bones leaning 
against each other at the top, somewhat as we see poles 
placed in circles for lima-bean vines. 

VEAL LOAF.— Take a cold fillet of veal, and (omit- 
ting the fat and skin) mince the meat as fine as possible. 
Mix with it a quarter of a pound of the fattest part of a 
cold ham, also chopped small. Add a tea-cupful of grated 
bread-crumbs ; a grated nutmeg ; half a dozen blades of 
mace powdered ; the grated yellow rind of a lemon ; and 
two beaten eggs. Season with a salt-spoon of salt, and 
half a salt-spoon of cayenne. Mix the whole well together, 
and make it into the form of a loaf. Then glaze it over 



MEATS, ETC. 61 

with beaten yolk of egg ; and strew the surface evenly, 
all over, with bread raspings, or with pounded cracker. 
Set the dish into a dutch-oven, and bake it half an hour, 
or till hot all through. Have ready a gravy made of the 
trimmings of the veal, stewed in some of the gravy that 
was left when the fillet was roasted the day before. 
When sufficiently cooked, take out the meat, and thicken 
the gravy with beaten yolk of egg, stirred in about three 
minutes before you take it from the fire. 

Send the veal loaf to table in a deep dish, with the 
gravy poured round it. 

Chicken loaf, or turkey loaf, may be made in this 
manner. 



STEWED CALF'S HEAD.— Take a fine, large 
calf's head ; empty it ; wash it clean, and boil it till it is 
quite tender, in just water enough to cover it. Then 
carefully take out the bones, without spoiling the appear- 
ance of the head. Season it with a little salt and cay- 
enne, and a grated nutmeg. Pour over it the liquor in 
which it has been boiled, adding a jili of vinegar, and 
two table-spoonfuls of capers, or of green nasturtian-seeds, 
that have been pickled. Let it stew very slowly for half 
an hour. Have ready some force-meat balls made of 
minced veal-suet, grated bread-crumbs, grated lemon-peel, 
and shred sweet-marjoram, — adding beaten yolk of egg 
to bind the other ingredients together. Put in the force- 
meat balls, and stew it slowly a quarter of an hour longer, 
adding some bits of butter rolled in flour to enrich the 
gravy. Send it to table hot. 



CORNED FILLET OF VEAL.— Take a large fillet 
of veal, and make deep incisions or cuts all over it with 
a sharp knife, and insert a slip of the fat into each, press- 
ing it down well to keep it in. Mix a table-spoonful 

6 



62 the lady's receipt-book. 

of powdered saltpetre with half a pound of fine salt, and 
rub the meat all over with it. Make a brine of salt and 
water strong enough to swim an egg on its surface, add- 
ing a lump of saltpetre about the size of a walnut. Put 
the veal into the brine, (of which there must be enough 
to more than cover it,) and let it remain ten days ; turn- 
ing it every day. Then take it out, wash off the brine, 
and boil the veal till thoroughly done and tender all 
through. It is best to eat it cold, and sliced thin. 

FRENCH WAY OF DRESSING A SHOULDER 
OF VEAL. — Cut the veal into nice square pieces or 
mouthfuls, and parboil them. Put the bone and trim- 
mings into another pot, and stew them slowly a long time, 
in a very little water, to make the gravy. Then put the 
meat into the dish in which it is to go to table, and season 
it with a very little salt and cayenne pepper, the yellow 
rind of a large lemon grated, and some powdered mace 
and nutmeg. Add some bits of fresh butter rolled in 
flour, or some cold dripping of roast veal. Strain the 
gravy and pour it in. Set it in a hot dutch-oven, and 
bake it brown. When nearly done, add two glasses of 
white wine, and serve it up hot. 

Any piece of veal may be cooked in this way. 



EXCELLENT MINCED VEAL.— Take three or 
four pounds of the lean only of a fillet or loin of veal, and 
mince it very finely, adding a siice or two of cold ham, 
minced also. Add three or four small young onions, 
chopped small, a tea-spoonful of sweet-marjoram leave? 
rubbed from the stalks, the yellow rind of a small lemon 
grated, and a tea-spoonful of mixed mace and nutmeg 
powdered. Mix all well together, and dredge it with a 
little flour. Put it into a stew-pan, with sufficient gravy 



MEATS, ETC. 63 

r 

of cold roast veal to moisten it, and a large table-spoonful 
or more of fresh butter. Stir it well, and let it stew till 
thoroughly done. If the veal has been previously cooked, 
a quarter of an hour will be sufficient. It will be much 
improved by adding a pint or more of small button mush- 
rooms, cut from the stems, and then put in whole. Also, 
by stirring in two table-spoonfuls of cream about five mi- 
nutes before it is taken from the fire. 

MINCED TURKEY OR CHICKEN.— Take a cold 
turkey, or one or two cold fowls ; remove all the skin, and 
cut the flesh from the bones. Then mince it fine, with two 
or three thin slices of cold smoked tongue, and from half 
a pint to a pint of button mushrooms well chopped. Add 
some mace and nutmeg, and put the whole into a stew- 
pan, with a piece of fresh butter rolled in flour, and suf- 
ficient cream to moisten it well. Let it stew ten minutes. 
Then serve it up in a deep dish. 

Instead of mushrooms, you may mix two or three 
dozen oysters, chopped, and seasoned with pepper and 
powdered mace. 

VEAL WITH OYSTERS.— Take two fine cutlets of 
about a pound each. Divide them into several pieces, 
cut thin. Put them into a frying-pan, with boiling lard, 
and let them fry awhile. When the veal is about half 
done, add to it a quart of large, fine oysters, — their liquor 
thickened with a few grated bread-crumbs, and seasoned 
with mace and nutmeg powdered. Continue the frying 
till the veal and oysters are thoroughly done. Send it to 
table in a covered dish. 

TERRAPIN VEAL.— Take some cold roast veal 
(the fillet or the loin) and cut it into very small mouthfuls. 
Put into a skillet or stew-pan. Have ready a dressing 



64 

made of six or seven hard-boiled eggs minced fine ; a 
small tea-spoonful of made mustard ; a salt-spoonful of 
salt; and the same of cayenne pepper; a large tea-cup- 
full (half a pint) of cream, and two glasses of sherry 01 
Madeira wine. The dressing must be thoroughly mixed 
Pour it over the veal, and then give the whole a hard 
stir. Cover it, and let it stew over the fire for ten mi 
nutes. Then transfer it to a deep dish, and send it tc 
table hot. 

Cold roast duck or fowl may be drest as above. Also 
venison. 



VEAL OLIVES.— Take some cold fillet of veal and 
cold ham, and cut them into thin square slices of the 
same size and shape, trimming the edges evenly. Lay a 
slice of veal on every slice of ham, and spread some 
beaten yolk of egg over the veal. Have ready a thin 
force-meat, made of grated bread-crumbs, sweet-marjoram 
rubbed fine, fresh butter, and grated lemon-peel, seasoned 
with nutmeg and a little cayenne pepper. Spread this 
over the veal, and then roll up each slice tightly with the 
ham. Tie them round securely with coarse thread or fine 
twine; run a bird-spit through them, and roast them 
well. For sauce, simmer in a small sauce-pan, some cold 
veal gravy with two spoonfuls of cream, and some mush 
room catchup. 



VEAL RISSOLES.— Take as much fine wheat bread 
as will weigh one pound, after all the crust is cut ofT. 
Slice it ; put it into a pan and pour over it as much rich 
milk as will soak it thoroughly. After it has soaked a 
quarter of an hour, lay it in a sieve and press it dry. 
Mince as finely as possible a pound of veal cutlet with 
six ounces of veal suet ; then mix in gradually the bread ; 
adding a salt-spoonful of salt, a slight sprinkling of 



MEATS, ETC. 65 

cayenne, and a small tea-spoonful of powdered mace and 
nutmeg mixed ; also the yellow rind of a lemon grated. 
Beat two eggs, and moisten the mixture with them. 
Then divide it into equal portions, and with a little flour 
on your hands roll it into oval balls rather smaller than 
an egg. Strew over them some dry bread-crumbs ; then 
fry them in lard or fresh butter — drain them well, and 
send them to table hot. For gravy (which should be 
commenced before the rissoles) put some bits and trim- 
mings of veal into a small sauce-pan, with as much water 
as will cover them ; a very little pepper and salt ; and 
three or four blades of mace. Cover the sauce-pan 
closely, and let the meat stew till all the strength is ex- 
tracted ; skimming it well. Then strain it ; return the 
liquid to the sauce-pan ; add a bit of butter rolled in 
flour; and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Give it a 
boil up ; and then, at the last, stir in the beaten yolk of 
an egg. Serve up this gravy in a sauce-boat, to eat with 
the rissoles. 

Instead of stewing meat for the purpose you may make 
this gravy with the drippings of roast veal saved from the 
day before. You have then only to melt it over the fire ; 
adding the seasoning ; and giving it one boil. 

Similar rissoles may be made of minced chicken or 

turkey. 

— ♦ — 

SWEETBREAD CROQUETTES.— Having trim- 
med some sweetbreads nicely, and removed the gristle, 
parboil them, and then mince them very fine. Add 
grated bread, and season with a very little salt and pep- 
per; some powdered mace and nutmeg; and some grated 
lemon-rind. Moisten the whole with cream, and make 
them up into small cones or sugar-loaves ; forming and 
smoothing them nicely. Have ready some beaten egg y 
mixed with grated bread-crumbs. Dip into it each 
6* 



66 the lady's receipt-book. 

croquette, and fry them slowly in fresh butter. Serve 
them hot ; standing up on the dish, and with a sprig of 
parsley in the top of each. 

Sweetbreads should never be, used unless perfectly 
fresh. They spoil very rapidly. As soon as they are 
brought from market they should be split open, and laid 
in cold water. Never attempt to keep sweetbreads til] 
next day, except in cold weather. 

Similar croquettes may be made of cold boiled chicken ; 
or cold roast veal ; or of ojrsters, minced raw, and season- 
ed and mixed as above. 



FRICASSEED SWEETBREADS.— Take half a 
dozen sweetbreads ; clean them thoroughly, and lay them 
for an hour or two in a pan of water, having first removed 
the strings and gristle. Then put them into a stew-pan 
with as much rich milk or cream as will cover them well, 
and a very little salt. Stew them slowly, till tender 
throughout, and thoroughly done, saving the liquid. 
Then take them up ; cover them ; and set them near the 
fire to keep warm. Prepare a quarter of a pound of 
fresh butter, divided into four pieces, and rolled in Hour. 
Put the butter into the milk in which the sweetbreads 
were boiled, and add a few sprigs of parsley cut small ; 
five or six blades of mace ; half a nutmeg grated ; and 
a very little cayenne pepper. Have ready the yolks of 
three eggs well-beaten. Return the sweetbreads to the 
gravy ; let it just come to a boil ; and then stir in the 
beaten egg immediately before you take the fricassee 
from the fire, otherwise it will curdle. Serve it up in a 
deep dish with a cover. 

Chickens, cut up, may be fricasseed in this manner. 



TOx\TATO SWEETBREADS.— Cut up a quarter 
of a peck (or more) of fine ripe tomatoes ; set them over 



MEATS, ETC. 67 

the fire, and let them stew with nothing but their own 
juice till they go entirely to pieces. Then press them 
through a sieve, to clear the liquid from the seeds and 
skins. Have ready four or five sweetbreads that have 
been trimmed nicely, cleared from the gristle, and laid 
open to soak in warm water. Put them into a stew-pan 
with the tomato-juice, seasoned with a little salt and 
cayenne. Add two or three table-spoonfuls of butter 
rolled in flour. Set the sauce-pan over the fire, and 
stew the sweetbreads in the tomato-juice till they are 
thoroughly done. A few minutes before you take them 
off, stir in two beaten yolks of eggs. Serve up the sweet- 
breads in a deep dish, with the tomato poured over them. 



SWEETBREADS AND CAULIFLOWERS.— 

Take four large sweetbreads, and two fine cauliflowers. 
Split open the sweetbreads and remove the gristle. Soak 
them awhile in lukewarm water. Then put them into 
a sauce-pan of boiling water, and let them boil ten mi- 
nutes over the fire. Afterwards, lay them in a pan of 
very cold water. The parboiling will render them white ; 
and putting them directly from the hot water into the 
cold will give them firmness. Having washed and drained 
the cauliflowers, quarter them, and lay them in a broad 
stew-pan with the sweetbreads upon them, seasoned with 
a very little cayenne, two or three blades of mace, and 
some nutmeg. Add as much water as will, cover them; 
put on closely the lid of the pan ; and let the whole stew 
for about an hour. Then take a quarter of a pound of 
fresh butter, and roll it in a table-spoonful of flour. Add 
it to the stew with a tea-cupfull of rich milk or cream ; 
and give it one boil up — not more, or the milk may cur- 
dle. Serve it hot in a deep dish ; the sweetbreads in the 
middle with the gravy poured over them, and the quar- 



68 the lady's receipt-book. 

tered cauliflowers laid handsomely round. This stew 
will be found delicious. 

Broccoli may be thus stewed with sweetbreads. 

STEWED SWEETBREADS WITH OYSTERS. 
— Take four fine sweetbreads ; cut them open ; extract 
the gristle, and lay them in warm water till all the blood 
is soaked out. Then transfer them to another vessel, and 
scald them with boiling water, to render them white and 
firm. Cover them closely, and let them boil ten minutes 
in the hot water. Then throw them directly into a pan 
of cold water. Take them out when quite cold ; drain 
them ; and put them into a stew-pan with the liquor of 
three dozen large fine oysters seasoned with half a grated 
nutmeg, or more ; and eight or ten blades of mace. Add 
two ounces of fresh butter, mixed very smoothly with a 
tea-spoonful of flour. Cover the pan ; and let them stew 
gently for half an hour or more. Then put in the oysters, 
and let them stew with the sweetbreads a little more than 
five minutes. Lastly stir in a j £11 (two wine-glasses) of 
cream, immediately before you take the stew from the 
fire. Send it to table in a deep dish with a slice of but- 
tered toast at the bottom. 



CLAM SWEETBREADS may be stewed exactly as 
above, only that clams must be substituted for oysters ; 
the clams being cut up very small, and put in at the 
beginning along with the liquor, &c. The flavour they 
impart to the stew is by many persons considered supe- 
rior to that of oysters. 

In stewing sweetbreads you may either divide them 
into halves or quarters. 

When cooked with oysters or clams they require no 
salt. 

Sweetbreads should be large, fine, of a delicate colour, 



69 

and perfectly fresh; otherwise they are unfit to eat. 
They spoil sooner than any part of the calf. 



SWEETBREAD OMELET.— For an omelet of six 
or seven eggs, take two fine sweetbreads. Split them ; 
take out the gristle; and soak them in two lukewarm 
waters, to extract all the blood. Then put them into 
very hot water ; boil them ten minutes ; take them out ; 
set them away to cool; and afterwards mince them small, 
and season them with a very little salt and cayenne pep- 
per, and some grated nutmeg. Beat the eggs (omitting 
the whites of two) till very light. Then mix in the 
chopped sweetbreads. Put three ounces or more of fresh 
butter into a small frying-pan, and place it over the fire. 
Stir the butter with a spoon, as it melts ; and when it 
comes to a boil, put in the mixture, stirring it awhile after 
it is all in. Fry it a rich brown. Heat the plate or dish 
in which you turn it out of the pan. An omelet should 
never be turned while frying. The top may be well 
browned by holding above it a salamander or a red-hot 
shovel. 

If you wish it very thick have three sweetbreads. 

While frying the omelet, lift the edg* occasionally by 
slipping a knife-blade under it, that the butter may get 
well beneath. 

If omelets are cooked too much they will become tough, 
and leather-like. Many persons prefer having them sent 
to table as soft omelets, before they have set, or taken the 
form of a cake. In this case, serve up the omelet in a 
deep dish, and help it with a spoon. 



A ROUND OF BEEF STEWED BROWN.— Take 

a round of fresh beef; the larger it is the more tender it 
will be : a small round is always, comparatively, hard 
and tough. Remove the fat ; with a sharp knife make 



70 the lady's receipt-book. 

deep cuts or incisions all over the meat, and stuff* into 
them a seasoning of finely minced onions, mixed with 
powdered mace, nutmeg, and a little pepper and salt. 
Then go all over the meat with the drippings or cold 
gravy of roast beef, and dredge it slightly with flour. 
Have ready an iron dutch-oven and its lid, well heated 
by standing up both lid and oven before the fire. Then 
put the meat into the oven, cover it, and let it brown on 
all sides. Have ready, cut into small pieces, two turnips; 
four carrots ; four oyster plants or salsify ; three stalks of 
celery f two small onions ; and two large tomatoes, or a 
large table-spoonful of tomato catchup. After the meat is 
browned, raise it up, and place the vegetables underneath 
it, and pour on three half-pints of water, or more if the 
round is very large. Let it cook slowly in the oven, 
with a regular fire, for several hours, till it is entirely 
done all through ; taking care to keep it closely covered. 
After the meat is taken out, place it on a large hot dish, 
with the vegetables round it. Cover it, and keep it hot 
while you thicken the gravy with a small tea-spoonful of 
flour, and the beaten yolk of an egg. Simmer this gravy 
a few minutes, then put it into a sauce-boat, and serve it 
up with the me&k 

What is left will be very good stewed over again the 
next day, with fresh vegetables ; letting the meat cook 
no longer than till the vegetables are sufficiently done. 
Observe this rule with all stews, soups, hashes, &c, when 
cooked the second time. 



STEWED BEEF STEAKS.— Take beef steaks from 
the sirloin. Cut them thin ; remove the fat and bone, 
and trim them nicely. Beat them well with a beetle or 
a rolling-pin. Season them slightly with pepper and salt, 
and spread over them some finely minced onions, or some 
chopped mushrooms. Lay among them some bits of fresh 



MEATS, ETC. 71 

butter rolled in flour. Put them into a stew-pan with a 
very close cover, and without any water. Set the pan 
not on the lire, but before it or beside it, (turning it round 
frequently,) and let them stew slowly for two or three 
hours, or till they are thoroughly done. Then serve 
them up in their own gravy. 



A BEEF STEAK POT-PIE.— Remove the fat and 
bone from two pounds or more of fine, tender beef steaks, 
and cut them into small pieces. Season them slightly 
with a very little salt and pepper ; put them into a pot 
with a piece of fresh butter rolled in flour, and just water 
enough to cover them. Let them stew slowly (skimming 
them as soon as the water comes to a boil) for an hour. 
Boil in another pot some white potatoes, (a"*dozen small 
or eight large ones,) cut into quarters. While the steak 
is stewing, make a paste of finely minced beef-suet and 
flour, in the proportion of a pound and a half of suet to 
three pounds of flour. For a large pot-pie, you should 
have more than the above quantity of paste ; the paste 
being always considered the best part of the pie, and 
much liked by those who eat it at all. Having rubbed 
the minced suet into the pan of flour,, add a very little 
salt, and as little water as will suffice to make it into a 
lump of dough. Beat the dough hard on both sides with 
the rolling-pin, to assist in making it light and flaky. 
Divide the dough into two portions ; roll out one sheet 
thicker than the other. Line the sides of a clean iron 
pot about half-way or two-thirds up with the thin paste. 
Then, having poured a little of the gravy into the bottom 
of the pot, put in a layer of the half-stewed beef; then a 
layer of the thick paste, cut into long squares. Then a 
layer of the quartered potatoes ; then meat ; then paste ; 
then potatoes, and so on till the whole is in. Pour on the 
remainder of the gravy, and add also a pint of warm 



72 the lady's receipt-book. 

water. Cover the whole with a sheet of thin paste for a 
top crust, which must not fit closely round the edge, as 
there must be room for the gravy to boil up over it. 
Then place the pot over a moderate fire ; and boil it for an 
hour and a half. Send it to table on a large dish, — the 
meat, and potatoes, and soft crust in the middle, and the 
hard crust cut into pieces and laid round. Serve up the 
gravy in a boat. 

This pie will be much improved by a few fresh mush- 
rooms, cut from the stalks, peeled, and put in when the 
stewed meat is transferred to the pie-pot. 

A pot-pie of fowls or rabbits may be made as above. 

If you prefer butter to suet for making the paste, allow 
half a pound of fresh butter to each pound of flour. Cut 
up the butter into the pan of flour, rub it fine with your 
hands, wet it with as little water as possible, beat and 
roll it out as above. 

BEEF STEAKS WITH MUSHROOMS.— Take four 
pounds of the best sirloin steaks, cut thin. Season them 
with black pepper, and a very little salt. Put four 
table-spoonfuls of butter into a frying-pan, and set it 
over the fire. When it is quite hot, put in the steaks 
and let them brown. Have ready a quart of mushrooms, 
stemmed and skinned, and moistened with a pint of water, 
seasoned with a little pepper and salt, and thickened 
slightly with a good dredging of flour. Pour it over the 
steaks in the frying-pan, and then let them cook till tho- 
roughly done. 

Venison steaks will be found excellent dressed in this 
manner, but the venison must be fresh. 

MINCED BEEF.— Take the lean of some cold roast 
beef. Chop it very fine, adding a small minced onion ; 
and season it with pepper and salt. Put it into a stew- 



MEATS, ETC. 73 

pan, with some of the gravy that has been left from the 
day before, and let it stew for a quarter of an hour. Then 
put it (two-thirds full) into a deep dish. Fill up the dish 
with mashed potatoes, heaped high in the centre, smoothed 
on the surface, and browned with a salamander or a red- 
hot shovel. 

Cold roast mutton or lamb may be minced as above, 
adding some sweet-marjoram to the seasoning, and filling 
up the dish with mashed turnips instead of potatoes. 

Also, cold roast pork ; flavouring the seasoning with a 
little chopped sage. Cover the top with sweet potatoe, 
boiled and mashed, or with apple-sauce, that has been 
stewed as thick as possible. 

TO STEW COLD CORNED BEEF.— Cut about 
four pounds of lean from a cold round of beef, that tastes 
but little of the salt. Lay it in a stew-pan, with a quarter 
of a peck of tomatoes quartered, and the same quantity of 
ochras sliced ; also, two small onions peeled and sliced, 
and two ounces of fresh butter rolled in flour. Add 
a tea-spoonful of whole pepper-corns, (no salt,) and four 
or five blades of mace. Place it over a steady but mode- 
rate fire. Cover it closely, and let it stew three or four 
hours. The vegetables should be entirely dissolved. 
Serve it up hot. 

This is an excellent way of using up the remains of a 
cold round of beef at the season of tomatoes and ochras, 
particularly when the meat has been rather under-boiled 
the first day of cooking it. 

A few pounds of the lean of afresh round of beef, will 
be still better cooked in this manner, increasing the quan- 
tity of ochras and tomatoes, and stewing it six hours. 

Cold fillet of veal is very good stewed with tomatoes, 
ochras, and an onion or two. Also, the thick or upper part 
of a cold leg of mutton ; or of pork, either fresh or corned. 
7 



74 the lady's receipt-book. 

I TO STEW SMOKED BEEF.— The dried beef, for 
this purpose, must be fresh and of the very best quality. 
Cut it (or rather shave it) into very thin, small slices, with 
as little fat as possible. Put the beef into a skillet, and fill 
up with boiling water. Cover it, and let it soak or steep 
till the water is cold. Then drain off that water, and 
pour on some more, but merely enough to cover the 
chipped beef, which you may season with a little pepper. 
Set it over the fire, and (keeping on the cover) let it stew 
for a quarter of an hour. Then roll a few bits of butter 
in a little flour, and add it to the beef, with the yolk of 
one or two beaten eggs. Let it stew five minutes longer. 
Take it up on a hot dish, and send it to the breakfast or 
tea-table. 

Cold ham may be sliced thin, and stewed in the same 
manner. Dried venison also. 



* FRENCH BEEF.— Take a circular piece from the 
round, (having removed the bone,) and trim it nicely from 
the fat, skin, &c. Then lard it all over with long slips 
of fat pork or bacon. The place from whence the bone 
was taken must be filled with a force-meat, made of 
minced suet ; grated bread-crumbs ; sweet-marjoram rub- 
bed fine ; and grated lemon-peel ; add a little salt and pep- 
per, and mix in the beaten yolk of an egg to bind together 
the other ingredients. Tie a twine or tape closely round 
the outside of the beef, to keep it compact, and in shape. 
Put it into a broad earthen jar with a cover ; or into an 
iron bake-oven. Add some whole pepper ; a large onion 
stuck over with a dozen cloves ; a bunch of sweet herbs ; 
three bay-leaves ; a quarter of a pound of butter, divided 
into small bits, (each piece rolled in flour,) and half a pint 
of claret, or port-wine. Bake or stew it thus in its own 
liquor, for five, six, or seven hours, (in proportion to its 
size,) for it must be thoroughly done, quite tender, and 



MEATS, ETC. 75 

brown all through the inside. Serve it up hot with the 
gravy round it. It is also very good when cold. 

A fillet of veal may be cooked in this manner. Also 
a fillet of fresh pork, cut from the upper part of a hind 
leg ; or a fillet of fresh venison. 



BEEF OLIVES. —Take the lean of some cold roast 
beef; cut it into slices about half an inch thick, and four 
inches square. They must all be of the same size and 
shape. Trim the edges nicely. Make a force-meat of 
grated bread-crumbs, finely-chopped beef-suet; minced 
onion; grated nutmeg or powdered mace; sweet-marjo- 
ram leaves rubbed fine ; a very little salt and pepper ; 
and some beaten yolk of egg. Having mixed all 
thoroughly together, spread very thickly a portion of 
the force-meat upon each slice of the cold beef. Then 
roil them up, and tie every one securely round with 
coarse thread or fine twine. Have ready some roast- 
beef gravy left from the day before, or make a fresh gravy 
by boiling, or rather stewing the beef bones with as little 
water as possible. When the gravy is ready, strain it 
into a clean stew-pan ; put in the beef olives ; cover the 
pan, and let them stew slowly for half an hour. Serve 
them up with their gravy. Remove the strings before 
the olives go to table. 

Veal olives may be made in the above manner, with a 
cold roast fillet of veal, and veal gravy. 



A PLAIN STEW.— Cut steaks from a sirloin or a 
tender round of beef, omitting the fat and bone. Season 
them with pepper and a little salt. Put them into a pot, 
and to three pounds of meat allow a quart of water. 
When it has simmered for an hour, and been well skim- 
med, mix among it a dozen potatoes, and half a dozen 
turnips, all pared and quartered ; and (if you like them) 



76 

two onions sliced thin. If the stew appears too dry, pom 
in a little boiling water from a kettle. Let it stew slowly 
with the vegetables another hour, or till the whole is per 
fectly tender. Serve it up with the vegetables round it 
on a large dish. 

Beef stewed with parsnips only is very good. 

Lamb or veal cutlets may be stewed in this manner. 

A fillet or round of fresh pork is excellent stewed with 
sweet potatoes, which must be scraped or pared, and split 
in half. 



BEEF'S TONGUE STEWED.— Take a fresh beef's 
tongue of the largest size. Remove the little bones, skin, 
&c, from about the root, and trim it nicely. Take a 
table-spoonful each of salt, pepper, and powdered cloves, 
and mix them all together. Rub the tongue well all 
over with this seasoning. Lay it in a deep earthen pan, 
cover it with the best cider vinegar, and let it stand three 
days, turning it frequently, and keeping it closely covered. 
Then (having wiped off all the seasoning) put the tongue 
into a stew-pot, and add half a pint of water — not more— 
and stew it slowly till quite done. Have ready some 
force-meat balls, made with minced veal, mixed with the 
ingredients usual in force-meat. Put in the balls about 
twenty minutes before you take up the tongue. When 
it is thoroughly done, and tender all through, peel it, 
and send it to table with the force-meat balls round it. 



BAKED TONGUE.— Take a large smoked tongue, 
put it into warm water and soak it all day. Change the 
water in the evening, and then let it remain in soak all 
night. Before you cook it, trim the root handsomely. 
Make a coarse paste or dough, merely of flour and water, 
as it is not to be eaten.- Roll it ouf thin, and enclose the 



MEATS, ETC. 77 

tongue in it. Put it into an oven, and bake it slowly. 
It will require four hours or more. When you think it 
is done, break a little of the paste just over the thickest 
part, and try it by sticking a fork through it. If not per- 
fectly tender, let it bake a while longer. When quite 
done, remove the paste, and either serve up the tongue, 
or set it away to get cold. This is the best way of cook- 
ing a tongue to be eaten cold. If to be eaten warm, send 
it to table surrounded with mashed potatoes, and the root 
concealed with parsley sprigs. The best way to carve a 
tongue, is to cut it across in round slices, beginning at the 
middle. If cut lengthways the flavour will be impaired. 
Nevertheless, if you have two tongues, and wish to make 
a large handsome-looking dish of them, (having first re- 
moved the root,) split one lengthways, and lay the two 
halves spread open and near together on a bed of mashed 
potatoes ; and cut the other tongue into circular slices. 
Arrange these slices in a handsome form or pattern all 
round the split tongue that occupies the centre of the 
mashed potatoe ; and decorate the whole with sprigs of 
double parsley. If the tongues are cold, instead of mashed 
potatoe, lay them on a bed of salad-dressed lettuce, cut or 
chopped very small ; or on chopped celery, dressed as 
lettuce. 



FILLET OF PORK.— Cut a fillet or round, hand- 
somely and evenly, from a fine leg of fresh pork. Re- 
move the bone. Make a stuffing or force-meat of grated 
bread-crumbs ; butter ; a tea-spoonful of sweet-marjoram 
or tarragon leaves ; and sage leaves enough to make a 
small table-spoonful, when minced or rubbed fine ; all 
well mixed, and slightly seasoned with pepper and salt. 
Add some beaten yolk of egg to bind the whole together , 
then stuff it closely into the hole from whence the bone 
was taken. Score the skin of the pork in circles to go 
7* 



78 the lady's receipt-book. 

all round the fillet. These circles should be very close 
together, or not quite half an inch apart. Rub into them, 
slightly, a little powdered sage. Put it on the spit, and 
roast it well, till it is thoroughly done throughout ; as 
pork, if the least underdone, is not fit to eat. Place it for 
the first hour not very close to the fire, that the meat may 
get well heated all through, before the skin begins to 
harden so as to prevent the heat from penetrating suffi- 
ciently. Then set it as near the fire as it can be placed 
without danger of scorching. Keep it roasting steadily 
with a bright, good, regular fire, for two or three hours, 
or longer still if it is a large fillet. It may require near 
four hours. Baste it at the beginning with sweet oil 
(which will make the skin very crisp) or with lard. 
Afterwards, baste it with its own gravy. When done, 
skim the fat from the gravy, and then dredge in a little 
flour to thicken it. Send the pork to table with the gravy 
in a boat ; and a small tureen of apple-sauce, made very 
thick, flavoured with lemon, and sweetened well. 

A fillet of pork is excellent stewed slowly in a very 
little water, having in the same stew-pot some sweet 
potatoes, peeled, split, and cut into "long pieces. If 
stewed, put no sage in the stuffing; and remove the 
skin of the pork. This is an excellent family dish in 
the autumn. 

ITALIAN PORK.— Take a nice leg of fresh pork ; 
rub it well with fine salt, and let it lie in the salt for a 
week or ten days. When you wish to cook it, put the 
pork into a large pot with just sufficient water to cover it ; 
and let it simmer, slowly, during four hours ; skimming 
it well. Then take it out, and lay it on a large dish. 
Pour the water from the pot into an earthen pan ; skim 
it, and let it cool while you are skinning the pork. Then 
put into the pot, a pint of good cider vinegar, mixed with 






MEATS, ETC. 79 

half a pound of brown sugar, and a pint of the water in 
which the pork has been boiled, and from which all the fat 
has been carefully skimmed off. Put in the pork with 
the upper side towards the bottom of the pot. Set it 
again over the fire, (which must first be increased,) and 
heat the inside of the pot-lid by standing it upright 
against the front of the fire. Then cover the pot closely, 
and let the pork stew for an hour and a half longer ; 
basting it frequently with the liquid around it, and keep- 
ing the pot-lid as hot as possible that the meat may be 
well browned. When done, the pork will have somewhat 
the appearance of being coated with molasses. Serve up 
the gravy with it. What is left of the meat may be 
sliced cold for breakfast or luncheon. 

You may stew with it when the pork is put into the 
pot a second time, some large chesnuts, previously boiled 
and peeled. Or, instead of chesnuts, sweet potatoes, 
scraped, split, and cut into small pieces. 

PORK OLIVES.— Cut slices from a fillet or leg of 
cold fresh pork. Make a force-meat in the usual manner, 
only substituting for sweet herbs some sage-leaves chopped 
fine. When the slices are covered with the force-meat, 
and rolled up and tied round, stew them slowly either in 
cold gravy left of the pork, or in fresh lard. Drain them 
well before they go to table. Serve them up on a bed 
of mashed turnips or potatoes, or of mashed sweet pota- 
toes, if in season. 



PIGS' FEET FRIED.— Pigs' feet are frequently 
used for jelly, instead of calves' feet. They are very 
good for this purpose, but a larger number is required 
(from eight to ten or twelve) to make the jelly suffi- 
ciently firm. After they have been boiled for jelly, 
extract the bones, and put the meat into a deep dish ; 



cover it with some good cider-vinegar, seasoned with 
sugar and a little salt and cayenne. Then cover the 
dish, and set it away for the night. Next morning, take 
out the meat, and having drained it well from the vine- 
gar, put it into a frying-pan in which some lard has just 
come to g boil, and fry it for a breakfast dish. 



CONNECTICUT SAUSAGE-MEAT.— -To fifteen 
pounds of the lean of fresh pork, allow five pounds of 
the fat. Having removed the skin, sinews, and gristle, 
chop both the fat and lean as fine as possible, and mix 
them well together. Rub to a powder sufficient sage- 
leaves to make four ounces when done. Mix the sage 
with three ounces of fine salt, two ounces of brown sugar, 
an ounce of powdered black pepper, and a quarter of an 
ounce of cayenne. Add this seasoning to the chopped 
pork, and mix it thoroughly. Pack the sausage-meat 
down, hard and closely, into stone jars, which ?nust be 
kept in a cool place, and well covered. When, wanted 
for use, make some of it into small, flat cakes, dredge 
them with flour, and fry them well. The fat that exudes 
from the sausage-cakes, while Trying, nrill be sufficient to 
cook them in. 



A FINE VENISON PIE.— Cut steaks from a loin, 
or haunch of venison, which should be as freshly killed 
as you can get it. The strange prejudice in favour of 
hard, black-looking venison, that has been kept till the 
juices are all dried up, is fast subsiding ; the preference 
is now given to that which has been newly killed, when- 
ever it can be obtained. Those who have eaten venison 
fresh from the woods, will never again be able to relish 
it in the state in which it is brought to the Atlantic cities. 

Having removed the bones, and seasoned it with a little 
salt and pepper, put the venison into a pot, with barely 



MEATS, ETC. 81 

as much water as will cover it, and let it stew till perfectly- 
tender, skimming it occasionally. Then take it out, and 
set it to cool, saving the gravy in a bowl. Make a light 
paste, in the proportion of three quarters of a pound of 
fresh butter to a pound and a half of flour. Divide the 
paste into two portions, and roll it out rather thick. But- 
ter a deep dish, and line it with one of the sheets of paste. 
Then put in the venison. Season the gravy with a glass 
of very good wine, either red or white, a few blades of 
mace, and a powdered nutmeg. Stir into it the crum- 
bled yolks of some hard-boiled eggs. Pour the gravy 
over the meat, and put on the other sheet of paste as the 
lid of the pie. Notch it handsomely round the edges, 
and bake it well. If a steady heat is kept up, it will be 
done in an hour. Send it to table hot. 

Instead of wine, you may put into the gravy a glass 
of currant-jelly. 

Any sort of game may be made into a pie, in the above 
manner. 



A VERY PLAIN VENISON PIE.—Cut from the 
bone some good pieces of fresh venison ; season them a 
little with salt and pepper, and put them into a pot, with 
plenty of sliced potatoes, (either white or sweet,) and 
barely as much water as will cover the whole. Set it 
over the fire, and let it stew slowly, till the meat is tender, 
and the potatoes also. Make a paste of flour shortened 
with cold gravy, or drippings saved from roast venison. 
The fat must be removed from the surface of the cold 
gravy, of which you may allow half a pint to each pound 
of flour. Mix half the shortening with the flour, using a 
broad knife or a spoon for the purpose, and adding gra- 
dually sufficient cold water to make it into a stiff dough. 
Beat the lump of dough well on all sides, with the roll- 
ing-pin. Then take it out of the pan, roll it into a thick 



82 the lady's receipt-book. 

sheet, and spread evenly over it with a knife the remain- 
der of the drippings. Flour it, fold it up, beat it with 
the rolling-pin, let it rest a short time, and then roll it 
out again. Divide it into two sheets ; grease a pie-dish, 
and line the bottom and sides with one sheet. Put in 
the venison and potatoes, with a portion of the gravy. 
Lay on the other sheet of paste, as a lid, and crimp the 
edges. Set the pie into the oven, and bake it brown. 
Eat it either hot or cold. 

If you have no cold venison drippings, use drippings 
of cold roast-beef; or an equal mixture of lard and butter. 

A beef-pie may be made as above. 

Mutton-pies are not recommended ; as mutton cooked 
in a pie is entirely too strong. The fat or drippings of 
mutton should never be used in any sort of cooking, as 
it tastes exactly like tallow, which it really is. 

The above quantity of paste is only sufficient for a 
small pie. Paste for meat-pies should be made very 
thick; 

An excellent pot-pie may be made with venison and 
potatoes previously stewed together. Boiled paste is 
always best when shortened with minced suet. Beef- 
suet is superior to any other. 



A VENISON PUDDING.— Take nice steaks of fresh 
venison ; season them slightly with salt and pepper ; put 
them into a pot, with a piece of fresh butter, and stew 
them in barely sufficient water to keep them from scorch- 
ing. When they are quite tender, take them up ; cut all 
the meat from the bones, and set it to cool. Save the 
gravy, and when cold carefully remove all the fat from 
the surface. Prepare a paste, in the proportion of three 
quarters of a pound of beef-suet, finely minced, to two 
pounds of flour. Rub the suet thoroughly into the flour, 
adding a small salt-spoon of salt, and sufficient cold water 



MEATS, ETC. 83 

to moisten it into a stiff dough. Beat the lump of dough, 
on all sides, with the rolling-pin, to increase the lightness 
of the paste. Roll it out thick ; put the venison into it ; 
and pour on enough of the gravy to wet the meat alJ 
through. Then close over the paste, so as to form a 
large dumpling, with the venison in the middle. Have 
ready a thick pudding-cloth, that has been dipped in boil- 
ing water, shaken out, dredged with flour, and spread 
open in a hroad pan. Place the pudding in the cloth, tie 
it firmly, leaving room for the pudding to swell ; and, to 
prevent the water getting in, stop up the tying-place 
with a bit of coarse dough. Lay an old plate at the bot- 
tom of a large pot of boiling water ; put in the pudding, 
and keep it boiling steadily for an hour or more, turning 
it several times. When done, dip it into cold water, un- 
tie the cloth, and turn out the pudding. Send it to table 
hot. 

A beef-steak pudding may be made as above. 

You may make the crust of fresh butter, instead of 
suet ; allowing a pound of butter to two pounds, or two 

quarts of flour. 

— ♦ — 

VENISON CHESNUT PUDDING.— Take some 
steaks of fresh-killed venison ; season them slightly with 
pepper and salt. Have ready a sufficient quantity of 
large chesnuts, boiled and peeled. Make a crust of flour 
and suet, in the proportion of three quarters of a pound 
of finely minced suet to two pounds of flour. Roll it out 
thick, in two pieces, and place on one piece the venison 
and chesnuts, in alternate layers. Pour on a little water. 
Cover it with the other piece of paste, uniting it closely 
round the edges. Put it into a strong pudding-cloth ; tie 
it tightly, and plaster the tying-place with a lump of flour 
and water. Put the pudding into a pot of boiling water, 
and boil it four hours. 



84 the lady's receipt-book. 

For the chesnuts, you may substitute cold, boiled 
sweet potatoes, cut into round, thick slices. 

This is an excellent pudding in a venison country ; 
but the meat must be very fresh and juicy. The paste 
may be made with butter. 

FRENCH STEW OF RABBITS.— Having cut up 

the rabbits, lay the pieces in cold water, to soak out the 
blood. Then wash them through another water. Sea- 
son them with a little pepper, some powdered mace and 
nutmeg, and the yellow rind of a lemon grated. Put 
them into a jar, or a wide-mouthed pitcher, adding some 
chopped celery, sweet-marjoram, and tarragon leaves. 
Intersperse them with a few small thin slices of cold ham 
or smoked tongue, and add a tea-cup full of water and 
two glasses of white wine. Cover the jar very closely, so 
that none of the flavour may escape with the steam ; set 
it over the fire in a large kettle of cold water, and let it 
stew slowly two hours. When nearly done, add some 
pieces of butter rolled in flour. 

Hares may be stewed in the same manner; also, fresh 
venison. 

For the wine, you may substitute two wine-glasses of 

rich cream. 

— ♦ — 

TONGUE TOAST.— Take a cold smoked tongue 
that has been well boiled ; and grate it with a coarse 
grater, or mince it fine. Mix it with cream, and beaten 
yolk of egg ; and give it a simmer over the fire. Having 
first cut off all the crust, toast very nicely some slices of 
Dread ; and then butter them rather slightly. Lay them 
in a flat dish that has been heated before the fire ; and 
cover each slice of toast thickly with the tongue-mixture, 
spread on hot ; and send them to table covered. This is 
a nice breakfast or supper dish. 



MEATS, ETC. 85 

For tongue, you may substitute cold ham finely 
minced. t 

BISCUIT SANDWICHES.— Split some light soft 
milk biscuits (or small French rolls) and batter them. 
Cover the lower half thickly with grated ham, or smoked 
tongue ; pressing it down upon the butter. Then put on 
the upper half or lid ; pressing that on, to make it stick. 
Pile the biscuits handsomely in a pyramid upon a flat 
dish, and place among them, at regular distances, green 
sprigs of pepper-grass, corn-salad, water-cresses, or curled 
parsley, allowing four or six to each biscuit. Put in the 
sprigs between the upper and lower halves of the biscuits, 
so that they may stick out at the edges. 

To make more space for the grated ham, you may 
scoop out a little of the inside of the upper-half of each 
milk biscuit or roll. They should be fresh, of that day's 
baking. 

This is a nice supper-dish. 



POTTED HAM.— Take some cold ham, slice it, and 
mince it small, fat and lean together. Then pound it in 
a mortar ; seasoning it as you proceed with cayenne pep- 
per, powdered mace, and powdered nutmeg. Then fill 
with it a large deep pan, and set it in an oven for half an 
hour. Afterwards pack it down hard in a stone jar, and 
fill up the jar with lard. Cover it closely, and paste 
down a thick paper over the jar. If sufficiently seasoned, 
it will keep well in winter ; and is convenient for sand^ 
wiches, or on the tea-table. A jar of this will be found 
useful to travellers in remote places. 



A FRENCH HAM PIE.— Having soaked and boiled 
a small ham, and taken out the bone, trim the ham nicely 
8 



86 the lady's receipt-book. 

so as to make it a good shape ; and of the bone and trim- 
mings make a rich gravy, by stewing them in a sauce- 
pan with a little water ; carefully skimming off the fat. 
Make a sufficient quantity of force-meat, out of cold roast 
chicken or veal, minced suet, grated bread-crumbs, butter, 
pepper, chopped sweet-marjoram or tarragon ; and grated 
lemon-peel, adding the lemon-juice, and some beaten egg. 
Mix the ingredients thoroughly. You may add some 
chopped oysters. 

Having made a standing crust, allowing to two pounds 
of flour half a pound of butter, and a pound of minced 
suet, wetted to a paste with boiling water, put in the ham, 
(moistening it with the gravy,) and fill in all the vacan- 
cies with the force-meat, having a layer of force-meat at 
the bottom and top. Then put on the lid, pinching the 
edges together so as to close them well. Brush the paste 
all over with beaten yolk of egg ; then put on the orna- 
mental flowers and leaves that have been cut out of the 
dough. Bake it three or four hours. It may be eaten 
warm, but is generally preferred cold. It keeps well, if 
carefully secluded from the air. 



TONGUE PIE is made as above ; only substituting 
a smoked tongue for the ham. The tongue must be 
nicely trimmed and peeled, and the root minced fine, and 
mixed with the veal or chicken force-meat. 

Either of these pies may be made and baked in 
deep dishes, and with paste made in the usual way of 
butter and flour, wetted with a little cold water. 



HAM TOAST.— Grate a sufficiency of the lean of 
cold ham. Mix some beaten yolk of egg with a little 
cream, and thicken it with the grated ham. Then put 



MEATS, ETC. 8? 

the mixture into a sauce-part over the fire, and let it sim- 
mer awhile. Have ready some slices of bread nicely- 
toasted (all the crust being pared off) and well buttered. 
Spread it over thickly with the ham mixture, and send it 
to table warm. 



88 



POULTRY, GAME, ETC 



CHICKENS STEWED WHOLE.— Having trussed 
a pair of fine fat young fowls or chickens, (with the liver 
under one wing, and the gizzard under the other,) fill the 
inside with large oysters, secured from falling out, by 
fastening tape round the bodies of the fowls. Put them 
into a tin butter-kettle with a close cover. Set the kettle 
into a larger pot or sauce-pan of boiling water, (which 
must not reach quite to the top of the kettle,) and place 
it over the fire. Keep it boiling till the fowls are well 
done, which they should be in about an hour after they 
begin to simmer. Occasionally take off the lid to remove 
the scum ; and be sure to put it on again closely. As 
the water in the outside pot boils away, replenish it with 
more hot water from a tea-kettle that is kept boiling hard. 
When the fowls are stewed quite tender, remove them 
from the fire ; take from them all the gravy that is about 
them, and put it into a small sauce-pan, covering closely 
the kettle in which they were stewed, and leaving the 
fowls in it to keep warm. Then add to the gravy two 
table-spoonfuls of butter rolled in flour ; two table-spoon- 
fuls of chopped oysters ; the yolks of three hard-boiled 
eggs minced fine ; half a grated nutmeg ; four blades of 
mace ; and a small tea-cup of cream. Boil this gravy 
about five minutes. Put the fowls on a dish, and send 
them to table, accompanied by the gravy in a sauce-boat. 
This is an excellent way of cooking chickens. 

FOWL AND OYSTERS.— Take a fine fat young 
fowl, and having trussed it for boiling, fill the body and 
crop with oysters, seasoned with a few blades of mace ; 



POULTRY, GAMEj ETC. 89 

tying it round with twine to keep them in. Put the fowl 
into a tall strait-sided jar, and cover it closely. Then 
place the jar in a kettle of water ; set it over the fire, and 
let it boil at least an hour and a half after the water has 
come to a hard boil. When it is done, take out the fowl, 
and keep it hot while you prepare the gravy, of which 
you will find a quantity in the jar. Transfer this gravy 
to a sauce-pan ; enrich it with the beaten yolks of two 
eggs, mixed with three table-spoonfuls of cream; and 
add a large table-spoonful of fresh butter rolled in flour. 
If you cannot get cream, you must have a double portion 
of butter. Set this sauce over the fire ; stirring it well ; 
and when it comes to a boil, add twenty oysters chopped 
small. In five minutes take it off; put it into a sauce- 
boat, and serve it up with the fowl, which cooked in this 
manner will be found excellent. 

Clams may be substituted for oysters ; but they should 
be removed from the fowl before it is sent to table. Their 
flavour being drawn out into the gravy, the clams them- 
selves will be found tough, tasteless, and not proper to be 

eaten. 

— ♦ 

FRENCH CHICKEN PIE.— Parboil a pair of full- 
grown, but fat and tender chickens. Then take the gib- 
lets, and put them into a small sauce-pan with as much 
of the water in which the chickens were parboiled as 
will cover them well, and stew them for gravy ; add a 
bunch of sweet herbs and a few blades of mace. When 
the chickens are cold, dissect them as if for carving. 
Line a deep dish with thick puff : paste, and put in the 
pieces of chicken. Take a nice thin slice of cold ham, 
or two slices of smoked tongue, and pound them one at a 
time in a marble mortar, pounding also the livers of the 
chickens, and the yolks of half a dozen hard-boiled eggs. 
Make this force-meat into balls, and intersperse them 
8* 



90 the lady's receipt-book, 

among the pieces of chicken. Add some bits of fresh 
butter rolled in flour, and then (having removed the gib- 
lets) pour on the gravy. Cover the pie with a lid of 
pufF-paste, rolled out thick ; and notch the edges hand- 
somely; placing a knot or ornament of paste on the 
centre of the top. Set it directly into a well-heated oven, 
and bake it brown. It should be eaten warm. 

This pie will be greatly improved by a pint of mush- 
rooms, cut into pieces. Also by a small tea-cup of cream. 

Any pie of poultry, pigeons, or game may be made in 

this manner. 

- — ♦ — 

CHICKEN GUMBO.— Cut up a young fowl as if for 
a fricassee. Put into a stew-pan a large table-spoonful 
of fresh butter, mixed with a tea-spoonful of flour, and an 
onion finely minced. Brown them over the fire, and then 
add a quart of water, and the pieces of chicken, with a 
large quarter of a peck of ochras, (first sliced thin, and 
then chopped,) and a salt-spoon of salt. Cover the pan, 
and let the whole stew together till the ochras are entire- 
ly dissolved, and the fowl thoroughly done. If it is a very 
young chicken, do not put it in at first ; as half an 
hour will be sufficient to cook it. Serve it up hot in 
a deep dish. 

A cold fowl may be used for this purpose. 

You may add to the ochras an equal quantity of toma- 
toes cut small. If you use tomatoes, no water will be 
necessary, as their juice will supply a sufficient liquid. 



TOMATO CHICKEN.— Take four small chickens or 
two large ones, and cut them up as for carving. Put 
them into a stew-pan, with one or two large slices of cold 
boiled ham cut into little bits ; eight or ten large toma- 
toes ; an onion sliced ; a bunch of pot-herbs, (cut up ;) a 
small green pepper, (the seeds and veins first extracted ;) 



POULTRY, GAME, ETC. 91 

half a dozen blades of mace ; a table-spoonful of lard, or 
of fresh butter rolled in flour ; and two pounded crackers, 
or a handful of grated bread-crumbs. Add a tumbler or 
half a pint of water. Cover the sauce-pan closely with a 
cloth beneath the lid ; set it on hot coals, or over a mode- 
rate fire ; and let it stew slowly till the chickens are 
thoroughly done, and the tomatoes entirely dissolved. 
Turn it out into a deep dish. 

Rabbits may be stewed in this manner. Also, veal 
steaks, cut thin and small. 

TURKEY AND CHICKEN PATTIES.— Take the 

white part of some cold turkey or chicken, and mince it 
very fine. Mince also some cold boiled ham or smoked 
tongue, and then mix the turkey and ham together. Add 
the yolks of some hard-boiled eggs, grated or minced ; a 
very little cayenne ; and some powdered mace and nut- 
meg. Moisten the whole with cream or fresh butter. 
Have ready some pufF-pasle shells, that have been baked 
empty in patty-pans. Place them on a large dish, and 
fill them with the mixture. 

Cold fillet of veal minced, and mixed with chopped 
ham, and grated yolk of egg, and seasoned as above, will 
make very good patties. 

; ♦* 

CHICKEN RICE PUDDING.— Parboil a fine fowl, 
and cut it up. Boil, till soft and dry, a pint of rice ; and 
while warm, mix with it a large table-spoonful of fresh 
butter. Beat four eggs very light ; and then mix them, 
gradually, with the rice. Spread a coating of the rice, 
&c, over the bottom and sides of a deep dish. Place on 
it the pieces of the parboiled fowl, with a little of the 
liquid in which it was boiled — seasoned with powdered 
mace and nutmeg. Add some bits of fresh butter rolled 
in flour, and a little cream. Cover the dish closely with 



9& THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 

the remainder of the rice ; set the pudding immediately 
into the oven and bake it brown. 

Cold chicken or turkey cooked the day before may be 
used for this purpose. The pudding may be improved 
by the addition of a few very thin, small slices of cold ham 
or smoked tongue. 

RICE CROQUETTES.— Boil half a pound of rice 
till it become quite soft and dry. Then mix with it tw T o 
table-spoonfuls of rich (but not strong) grated cheese, a 
small tea-spoonful of powdered mace, and sufficient fresh 
butter to moisten it. Mince very fine six table-spoonfuls 
of the white part of cold chicken or turkey, the soft parts 
of six large oysters, and a sprig or two of tarragon or 
parsley ; add a grated nutmeg, and the yellow rind of a 
lemon. Mix the whole well, moistening it with cream 
or white wine. Take of the prepared rice a portion 
about the size of an egg, flatten it, and put into the centre 
a dessert-spoonful of the mixture ; close the rice round it 
as you would the paste round a dumpling-apple. Then 
form it into the shape of an egg. Brush it over with 
some beaten yolk of egg, and then dredge it with pounded 
crackers. In this way make up the whole into oval balls. 
Have ready, in a sauce-pan over the fire, a pound of 
boiling lard. Into this throw the croquettes, two at a 
time, so as to brown them. Let them brown for a few 
minutes ; then take them out with a perforated skimmer. 
Drain them from the lard, and serve them up hot, gar- 
nished with curled parsley. 



COLUMBUS EGGS.— Take twelve hard-boiled eggs. 
Peel off the shells, and cut the eggs into equal halves; 
cutting off also a little piece from each of the ends to en- 
able them to stand alone, in the form of cups. Chop the 
yolks, and with them mix cold ham or smoked tongue, 



POULTRY, GAME, ETC. 93 

minced as finely as possible. Moisten the mixture with 
cream, (or a little fresh butter,) and season it with pow- 
dered mace or nutmeg. Fill with it the cups or empty 
whites of the eggs, (being careful not to break them ;) 
pressing the mixture down, and smoothing it nicely. Ar- 
range them on a dish ; putting two halves close together, 
and standing them upright, so as to look like whole eggs. 

WHITE FRICASSEE.— Cut a pair of chickens into 
pieces, as for carving ; and wash them, through two or 
three waters. Then lay them in a large pan, sprinkle 
them slightly with salt, and fill up the pan with boiling 
water. Cover it, and let the chickens stand for half an 
hour. Then put them immediately into a stew-pan ; 
adding a few blades of mace, and a few whole pepper- 
corns, and a handful of celery, split thin and chopped 
finely; also, a small white onion sliced. Pour on cold 
milk and water (mixed in equal portions) sufficient to 
cover the chickens well. Cover the stew-pan, set it over 
the fire, and let it stew till the chickens are thoroughly' 
done, and quite tender. While the chickens are stewing, ' 
prepare, in a smaller sauce-pan, a gravy or sauce made 
as follows : — Mix two tea-spoonfuls of flour with as much 
cold water as will make it like a batter, and stir it till 
quite smooth and free from lumps. Then add to it, gra- 
dually, half a pint of boiling milk. Next put in a quar- 
ter of a pound of fresh butter, cut into small pieces. Set 
it over hot coals, and stir it till it comes to a boil, and the 
butter is well melted and mixed throughout. Then take 
it off the fire, and, while it is hot, stir in a glass of ma- 
deira or sherry, and four table-spoonfuls of rich cream, 
and some grated nutmeg. Lastly, take the chickens out 
of the stew-pan, and pour off all the liquor, &c. Return 
the chicken to the stew-pan, and pour over it, hot, the 
above-mentioned gravy. Cover the pan closely, and let 



94 

it stand in a hot place, or in a kettle of boiling water for 
ten minutes. Then send it to table in a covered dish. 

To the taste of many persons, this fricassee will be im- 
proved by adding to the chicken, while stewing, some 
small, thin slices of cold boiled ham. 

Rabbits or veal may be fricasseed in the above manner. 

BROWN FRICASSEE.— Half roast a pair of ducks. 
Then cut them apart, as for carving. If they are wild- 
ducks, parboil them with a large carrot (cut to pieces) in- 
side of each, to draw out the fishy or sedgy taste. Having 
thrown away the carrot, cut the ducks into pieces, as for 
carving. Put them into a clean stew-pan, and season 
them with pepper and salt. Mix in a deep dish a very 
small onion minced fine, a table-spoonful of minced or 
powdered tarragon-leaves, (for which you may substitute 
sage and sweet-marjoram, if you cannot procure tarra- 
gon,) and two or three large tomatoes, scalded, peeled, 
and quartered, or two large table-spoonfuls of thick to- 
mato catchup. Put in, also, two table-spoonfuls of fresh 
butter rolled in grated bread-crumbs, and a glass of port 
wine, claret, or brandy, with a small tea-spoonful of pow- 
dered mace. Cover the pieces of duck with this mixture, 
and then add barely as much water as will keep the whole 
from burning. Cover the pan closely, and let the fricas- 
see stew slowly for an hour, or till the duck, &c, are 
thoroughly done. 

Venison or lamb cutlets may be fricasseed in this man- 
ner. Likewise, tame fat pigeons, which must previously 
be split in two. This, also, is a very nice way of dress- 
ing: hares or rabbits. 



STEWED WILD DUCKS.— Having rubbed them 
slightly with salt, and parboiled them for about twenty 
minutes with a large carrot (cut to pieces) in each, to take 



POULTRY, GAME, ETC. 95 

off the sedgy or fishy taste, remove the carrots, cut up 
the ducks, and put them into a stew-pan with just suffi- 
cient water to cover them, and some bits of butter rolled 
slightly in flour. Cover the pan closely; and let the 
ducks stew for a quarter of an hour or more. Have 
ready a mixture in the proportion of a wine-glass of 
sherry or madeira ; the grated yellow rind and the juice 
of a large lemon or orange, and one large table-spoonful 
of powdered loaf-sugar. Pour this over the ducks, and 
let them stew in it about five minutes longer. Then 
serve them up in a deep dish with the gravy about them. 
Eat the stewed duck on hot plates with heaters under 
them. 

Cold roast duck that has been under-done is very fine 
stewed as above. Venison also, and wild geese. 

TO ROAST CANVAS-BACK DUCKS.— Having 

trussed the ducks, put into each a thick piece of soft 
bread that has been soaked in port wine. Place them 
before a quick fire and roast them from three quarters to 
an hour. Before they go to table, squeeze over each the 
juice of a lemon or orange; and serve them up very hot 
with their own gravy about them. Eat them with cur- 
rant jelly. Have ready also a gravy made by stewing 
slowly in a sauce-pan the giblets of the ducks in butter 
rolled in flour and as little water as possible. Serve up 
this additional gravy in a boat. 



CANVAS-BACK DUCKS DRESSED PLAIN.— 

Truss the ducks without washing ; but wipe them inside 
and out with a clean dry cloth. Roast them before a 
rather quick fire for half an hour. Then send them to 
table hot, upon a large dish placed on a heater. There 
must also be heaters under each plate, and currant jelly 
on both sides of the table, to mix with the gravy, on your 



96 the lady's receipt-book. 

plate ; claret or port wine also, for those who prefer it as 
an improvement to the gravy. 



TO STEW CANVAS-BACK DUCKS.— Put the 
giblets into a sauce-pan with the yellow rind of a lemon 
pared thin, a very little water, and a piece of butter 
rolled in flour, and a very little salt and cayenne. Let 
them stew gently to make a gravy ; keeping the sauce- 
pan covered. In the mean time, half roast the ducks, 
saving the gravy that falls from them. Then cut them 
up ; put them into a large stew-pan, with the gravy 
(having first skimmed off the fat) and merely water 
enough to keep them from burning. Set the pan over a 
moderate fire, and let them stew gently till done. 
Towards the last (having removed the giblets) pour over 
the ducks the gravy from the small sauce-pan, and stir 
in a large glass of port wine, and a glass of currant jelly. 
Send them to table as hot as possible. 

Any ducks may be stewed as above. The common 
wild-ducks, teal, &c, should always be parboiled with a 
large carrot in the body to extract the fishy or sedgy 
taste. On tasting this carrot before it is thrown away, it 
will be found to have imbibed strongly that disagreeable 

flavour. 

— « — 

PARTRIDGES IN PEARS.— Cut off the necks of 
jhe partridges close to the breast. Truss them very tight 
and round, and rub over them a little salt and cayenne 
pepper mixed. Cut off one of the legs, and leave the 
other on. Make a rich paste of flour, butter, and beaten 
yolk of egg, with as little water as possible. Roll it out 
thin and evenly, and put a portion of it nicely round 
each partridge, pressing it on closely with your hand, and 
forming it into the shape of a large pear. Leave one leg 
sticking out at the top to resemble the stem. Set them 



POULTRY, GAME, ETC. 97 

in a pan ; and bake them in a dutch oven. In the mean 
time, make in a small sauce-pan, a rich brown gravy of 
the livers, and other trimmings of the partridges, and some 
drippings of roast veal or roasted poultry. It will be 
better still if you reserve one or two small partridges to 
cut up, and stew for the gravy. Season it with a little 
salt and cayenne. When it has boiled long enough to 
be very thick and rich, take it off, strain it, and put the 
liquid into a clean sauce-pan. Add the juice of a. large 
orange or lemon, made very sweet with powdered white 
sugar. Set it over the fire ; and when it comes to a boil, 
stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs. Let it boil two or 
three minutes longer ; then take it off, and keep it hot till 
the partridges and their paste are thoroughly well-baked. 
When done, stand up the partridges in a deep dish, and 
serve up the gravy in a sauce-boat. Ornament the par- 
tridge-pears by sticking some orange or lemon leaves into 
the end that represents the stalk. This is a nice and 
handsome side dish, of French origin. 

Pigeons and quails may be dressed in this manner. 

SALMI OF PARTRIDGES, (French dish.)— Having 
covered two large or four small partridges with very thin 
slices of fat cold ham, secured with twine, roast them ; 
but see that they are not too much done. Remove the 
ham, skin the partridges, cut them into pieces, and let 
them get quite cold. Partridges that have been roasted 
the preceding day are good for this purpose. Cut off 
all the meat from the bones, season it with a little cayenne, 
and put it into a stew-pan. Mix together three table- 
spoonfuls of sweet oil ; a glass of excellent wine (either 
red or white) and the grated peel and juice of a lemon. 
Pour this gravy over the partridges, and let them stew 
in it during ten minutes ; then add the beaten yolk of an 
egg, and stew it about three or four minutes longer. 

9 



98 . the lady's receipt-book. 

All the time it is stewing, continue to shake or move the 
pan over the fire. Serve it up hot. 

A NICE WAY OF COOKING GAME.— Phea- 
sants, partridges, quails, grouse, plovers, &c, are excellent 
stuffed with chesnuts: boiled, peeled, and mashed or 
pounded. Cover the birds with very thin slices of cold 
ham; then enclose them in vine-leaves tied on securely 
so as to keep in the gravy. Lay them in a deep dish, 
and bake them in a close oven that has nothing else in it, 
(for instance an iron dutch oven,) that the game may 
imbibe no other flavour. When done, remove the ham 
and the vine leaves, and dish the birds with the gravy 
that is about them. 

Pheasants are unfit to eat after the first snow, as they 
then, for want of other food, are apt to feed on wild laurel 
berries, which give their flesh a disagreeably bitter taste, 
and are said to have sometimes produced deleterious 
effects on persons who have eaten it. 

BIRDS WITH MUSHROOMS.— Take two dozen 
reed-birds, (or other nice small birds,) and truss them as if 
for roasting. Put into each a button-mushroom ; of which 
you should have a heaping pint after the stalks are all re- 
moved. Put the birds, and the remaining mushrooms into 
a stew-pan. Season them with a very little salt and pep- 
per, and add either a quarter of a pound of fresh butter 
(divided into four, and slightly rolled in flour) or a pint 
of rich cream. If cream is not plenty, you may use half 
butter and half cream, ^ell mixed together. Cover the 
stew-pan closely, and set it over a moderate fire, to stew 
gently till the birds and mushrooms are thoroughly done 
and tender all through. Do not open the lid to stir the 
stew ; but give the pan, occasionally, a hard shake. 
Have ready on a dish a thin slice of buttered' toast with 



POULTRY, GAME, ETC. 99 

the crust all cut off. When done, lay the birds on the 
toast with the mushrooms all round. 

If you cannot get button-mushrooms, divide large ones 
into quarters. 

Plovers are very nice stewed with mushrooms. 



BIRDS IN A GROVE, {French dish.) — Having 
roasted some reed-birds, larks, plovers, or any other small 
birds, such as are usually eaten, mash some potatoes 
with butter or cream. Spread the mashed potatoe thickly 
over the bottom, sides, and edges of a deep dish. Nick 
or crimp the border of potatoe that goes round the edge; 
or scollop it with a tin cutter. You may, if you choose, 
brown it by holding over it a salamander, or a red-hot 
shovel. Then lay the roasted birds in the middle of the 
dish, and stick round them and among them, very thickly 
a sufficient number of sprigs of curled or double parsley. 

THATCHED HOUSE PIE, (French dish.)— Rub 
the inside of a deep dish with two ounces of fresh butter, 
and spread over it two ounces of vermicelli. Then line 
the dish with puff-paste. Have ready some birds .sea- 
soned with powdered nutmeg and a very little salt and 
pepper. Place them with their breasts downward. They 
will be much improved by putting into each a mushroom 
or an oyster chopped fine. Lay them on the paste. 
Add some gravy of roast veal, (cold gravy saved from 
veal roasted the preceding day will do very well,) and 
cover the pie with a lid of puff-paste. Bake it in a mo- 
derate oven, and when done, turn it out carefully upon a 
flat dish, and send it to table. The vermicelli which was 
originally at the bottom, will now be at the top, covering 
the paste like thatch upon a roof. Trim off the edges so 
as to look nicely. You may, if you choose, use a larger 



100 

quantity of vermicelli. The yellow sort will be best for 
this purpose. 

RICE PIE. — Pick clean a quart of rice, and wash it 
well through two or three waters. Tie it in a cloth, put 
it into a pot of boiling water, and boil it till perfectly soft. 
Then drain and press it till as dry as possible, and mix 
with it two ounces of fresh butter, and two table-spoonfuls 
of mild grated cheese. Take a small tin butter-kettle ; 
wet the inside, put in the rice, and stand it in a cool place 
till quite cold. Then turn it carefully out of the kettle, 
(of which it will retain the form,) rub it over with the 
beaten yolk of an egg, and set it in an oven till lightly 
browned. Cut out from the top of the mass of rice an 
oval lid, about two inches from the edge, so as to leave a 
flat rim or border all round. Then excavate the mould 
of rice ; leaving a standing crust all round and at the 
bottom, about two inches thick. Have ready some hot 
stewed oysters or birds, or brown or white fricassee. Fill 
up the pie with it — adding the gravy. Lay on the lid, 
and decorate it with sprigs of green curled parsley, stuck 
in all round the crack where the lid is put on. 

This pie may be filled with curried chickens. 



A RAISED FRENCH PIE.— These pies have stand- 
ing crust or walls, and may be filled with game or poul- 
try, previously boned, seasoned, and stewed. They are 
generally made very large, and in winter will keep a 
week or two if closely covered. They are frequently 
sent a considerable distance, as Christmas presents ; well 
packed in a close tin box. 

To make the paste for a large pie : — Sift three pounds 
of flour into a pan, and make a hole in the centre. Cut 
up a pound of fresh butter, and two pounds of beef-suet, 
finely chopped. Put them into a clean pot, with as much 



POULTRY, GAME, ETC. 101 

boiling water as will cover them. Set them over the fire; 
and when the butter and suet are entirely dissolved, stir 
the whole with a spoon, and pour it into the hole in the 
middle of the flour ; mix it with a spoon into a stiff paste, 
till it becomes cold enough for you to knead with your 
hands into a lump of dough. Sprinkle some flour on 
your paste-board, and on your hands ; make the dough 
into the form of a cone or sugar-loaf, and with your hands 
smooth and flatten the sides of it. Then squeeze or press 
down the point of the cone ; straighten the sides ; and 
flatten the top, so as to give it the shape of a hat crown. 
Next, cut off from the top a thick, round slice, and lay it 
aside for the lid, and another slice for the ornaments. 
With one hand make a hollow in the large mass of dough, 
and with the other shape out and smooth the sides, leav- 
ing enough for a crust at the bottom. In this manner, 
hollow it into the shape of a straight-sided pan, leaving 
the wall or crust so thick that it will stand alone. Theft 
fill it with the bones of the poultry or game, and some 
crusts of bread to keep it in shape. The portion of dough 
reserved for the lid must then be moulded on the inverted 
bottom of a deep plate, previously buttered. The lid may 
be a little larger than the top of the pie. The paste re- 
served for the ornaments should be rolled out, and cut 
with tin cutters into the form of leaves and flowers, or 
vine-leaves and grapes. These should be carefully 
placed in a wreath round the middle of the standing 
crust of the pie. A smaller wreath may be laid like a 
border round the lid, at the top of which place a large 
flower of paste, to look like a handle by which to lift it. 
Before you put on the ornaments, have ready the beaten 
yolks of two eggs ; and dipping in a clean brush, glaze 
with it the whole outside of the pie, including the lid. 
Then stick on the decorations. Put the pie into a mode-„. 
rate oven, and bake it brown. The lid must be baked 
9* 



102 



THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 



separately. When both are done, remove the bones, &c, 
from the inside of the pie, and fill it with the ingredients 
prepared, which must be previously stewed in their own 
gravy, with the addition of some bits of butter rolled in 
flour. Put on the lid, and cement the edges by glazing 
them with a little beaten egg. These pies are usually 
made with slices of ham or smoked tongue at the bottom; 
then partridges, pheasants, moor-fowl, and other large 
game, all boned ; and the spaces between filled up with 
force-meat, or with mushrooms stewed and chopped. 
They may be made with venison, wild turkeys, or wild 
ducks. Whatever is put into these pies must have no 
bone about it, and should be well seasoned. 

The ingredients may be put into the pie, and the lid 
laid on at once, — pinching the edges together. In this 
case, it must bake three or four hours, in proportion to its 
size. . 

PIGEONS WITH HAM.— Take fine fat tame pigeons. 
For stuffing, boil some chesnuts till quite soft ; and having 
peeled them, mash or pound them smooth. Mix with 
them a little fat of cold ham, finely minced and pounded. 
For chesnuts, may be substituted boiled sweet potatoe, 
mashed with butter. Fill the pigeons with the stuffing, 
having first slightly peppered their insides. Cover them 
with very thin slices of cold ham, (fat and lean together,) 
and wrap them in fresh vine-leaves, tied round with twine. 
Put them on a spit, and roast them three quarters of an 
hour. When done, carefully remove the strings, and 
serve up the pigeons, still wrapped in the ham and 
vine-leaves. They will be found very nice. 

Partridges and quails may be drest in this manner. 

Wild pigeons are so seldom fat, and have so little meat 
upon their bones, that except for soups and gravies, they 
are scarcely worth buying. In places where they abound, 



POULTRY, GAME, ETC. 103 

they may be turned to good account by catching them in 
nets ; clipping their wings ; and keeping them in an en- 
closure till they are fattened by feeding them well with 
corn, or Indian meal moistened with water When 
managed thus, they will be found quite equal, if not su- 
perior, to tame pigeons. 



A GIBLET PIE.— Clean, very nicely, the giblets of 
two geese or four ducks. Put them into a stew-pan, with 
a sliced onion; a bunch of tarragon, or sweet-marjoram 
and sage ; half a dozen pepper-corns ; and four or five 
blades of mace. Add a very little water ; cover the pan 
closely, and let them stew till the giblets are tender. 
Then take them out, and save all the gravy ; having 
strained it from the seasoning articles. Make a rich 
paste, and roll it out into two sheets. Wiih one sheet 
cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish. Put in the 
giblets, — mixing among them a few cold boiled potatoes 
sliced, the chopped yolks of some hard-boiled eggs, and 
some bits of butter rolled in flour. Pour the gravy over 
the giblets, &c. Cover the pie with the other sheet of 
paste, and notch the edges. Bake it brown, and send it 
to table hot. 

A pigeon pie may be made in a similar manner: also, 
a rabbit pie. ^ 

MOOR-FOWL OR GROUSE PUDDING.— Having 

skinned the moor-fowls, cut them up as for carving, and 
season them slightly with salt and pepper. Have ready 
a sufficient quantity of paste, made in the proportion of a 
pound of fresh butter to two pounds of sifted flour. Roll 
it out thick, and line with it a pudding mould, which 
must first be buttered ; reserving sufficient paste for the 
lid. Then put in the pieces of moor-fowl, and place be- 
tween each layer a layer of small mushrooms, or of fresh 



104 

oysters cut small. Next pour in a little water, (about half 
a pint,) and add a piece of fresh butter rolled in flour. 
Then cover it with the remaining paste, pressing it down 
very closely round the edge. Dip a strong clean cloth 
into boiling water, dredge it with flour, and tie it tightly 
over the mould or pudding-basin. Put it into a pot of 
boiling water, and boil it three hours or more, according 
to its size. 

A similar pudding may be made of pheasants, par- 
tridges, or quails ; and is a delicious way of cooking game 
of any sort : rabbits, also, are very nice, cut up and put 
into a crust for boilinar. 



A BONED TURKEY.— For this purpose you must 
have a fine, large, tender turkey ; and after it is drawn, 
and washed, and wiped dry, lay it on a clean table, and 
take a very sharp knife, with a narrow blade and point. 
Begin at the neck ; then go round to the shoulders and 
wings, and carefully separate the flesh from the bone, 
scraping it down as you proceed. Next loosen the flesh 
from the breast, and back, and body ; and then from the 
thighs. It requires care and patience to doit nicely, and 
to avoid tearing or breaking the skin. The knife should 
always penetrate quite to the bone ; scraping loose the 
flesh rather than cutting it. When all the flesh has been 
completely loosened, take the turkey by the neck, give it 
a pull, and the whole skeleton will come out entire from 
the flesh, as easily as you draw your hand out of a glove. 
The flesh will then fall down, a flat and shapeless mass. 
With a small needle and thread, carefully sew up any 
holes that have accidentally been torn in the skin. 

Have ready a large quantity of stuffing, made as fol- 
lows : — Take three sixpenny loaves of stale" bread ; grate 
tne crumb ; and put the crusts in water to soak. When 
quite soft, break them up small into the pan of grated 



105 

bread-crumbs, and mix in a pound of fresh butter, cut into 
little pieces. Take two large bunches of sweet-marjo- 
ram ; the same of sweet-basil ; and one bunch of parsley. 
Mince the parsley very fine, and rub to a powder the 
leaves of the marjoram and basil. You should have two 
large, heaping table-spoonfuls of each. Chop, also, two 
very small onions or shalots, and mix them with the herbs. 
Pound to powder a quarter of an ounce of mace ; a quarter 
of an ounce of cloves ; and two large nutmegs. Mix the 
spices together, and add a tea-spoonful of salt and a tea- 
spoonful of ground black pepper. Then mix the herbs, 
spice, &c, thoroughly into the bread-crumbs ; and add, 
by degrees, four beaten eggs to bind the whole together.' 

Take up a handful of this filling ; squeeze it hard, and 
proceed to stuff the turkey with it, — beginning at the 
wings ; next do the body ; and then the thighs. Stuff it 
very hard, and as you proceed, form the turkey into its 
natural shape, by filling out, properly, the wings, breast, 
body, &c. When all the stuffing is in, sew up the body, 
and skewer the turkey into the usual shape in which 
they are trussed ; so that, if skilfully done, it will look 
almost as if it had not been boned. Tie it round with 
tape, and bake it three hours or more ; basting it occa- 
sionally with fresh butter. Make a gravy of the giblets, 
chopped, and stewed slowly in a little water. When 
done, add to it the gravy that is in the dish about the 
turkey, (having first skimmed off the fat,) and enrich it 
with a glass of white wine, and two beaten yolks of eggs, 
stirred in just before you take it from the fire. 

If the turkey is to be eaten cold at the supper-table, 
drop table-spoonfuls of currant or cranberry jelly all over 
it at small distances, and in the dish round it. 

A very handsome way of serving it up cold is, after 
making a sufficiency of nice clear calves'-foot jelly, (season- 
ed, as usual, with wine, lemon, cinnamon, &c.,) to lay the 



106 the lady's receipt-book. 

turkey in the dish in which it is to go to table, and set- 
ting it under the jelly -bag, let the jelly drip upon it, so as 
to form a transparent coating all over it ; smoothing the 
jelly evenly with the back of a spoon, as it congeals on 
the turkey. Apple jelly may be substituted. 

Large fowls may be boned and stuffed in the above 
manner : also a young roasting pig. 



107 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 



COLUMBIAN PUDDING.— Tie up closely in a bit 
of very thin white muslin, a vanilla bean cut into pieces ; 
and a broken-up stick of cinnamon. Put this bag with 
its contents into half a pint of rich milk, and boil it a long 
time till very highly flavoured. Then take out the bag; 
set the milk near the fire to keep warm in the pan in 
which it was boiled, covering it closely. Slice thin a 
pound of almond sponge-cake, and lay it in a deep dish. 
Pour over it a quart of rich cream, with which you must 
mix the vanilla-flavoured milk, and leave the cake to dis- 
solve in it. Blanch, in scalding water, two ounces of 
shelled bitter almonds or peach-kernels ; and pound them 
(one at a time) to a smooth paste in a marble mortar ; 
pouring on each a few drops of rose-water or peach- 
water to prevent their oiling. When the almonds are. 
done, set them away in a cold place till wanted. Beat 
eight eggs till very light and thick ; and having stirred 
together, hard, the dissolved cake and the cream, add 
them, gradually, to the mixture in turn with the almond, 
and half a pound of powdered loaf sugar, a little at a time 
of each. Butter a deep dish, and put in the mixture. 
Set the pudding into a brisk oven and bake it well. Have 
ready a star nicely cut out of a large piece of candied 
citron, a number of small stars all of equal size, as many as 
there are states in the Union : and a sufficiency of rays 
or long strips also cut out of citron. The rays should be 
wide at the bottom and run to a point at the top. As 
soon as the pudding comes out of the oven, while it is 
smoking, arrange these decorations. Put the large star 
in the centre, then the rays so that they will diverge from 



108 the lady's receipt-book. 

it, widening off towards the edge of the pudding. Near 
the edge place the small stars in a circle. 

Preserved citron-melon will be still better for this pur 
pose than the dry candied citron. 

This is a very fine pudding; suitable for a dinner 
party, or a Fourth of July dinner. 

A MARIETTA PUDDING.— Take a teacup-full of 
loaf-sugar broken up. On some of the largest lumps rub 
off the yellow rind of a large lemon. Then put all the 
sugar into a pint of rich cream ; when the sugar is melt- 
ed, set it over the fire, and when it comes to a boil, pour it 
hot over half a pound of fresh savoy biscuits or lady-fingers, 
(maccaroons will be still better,) laid in a deep dish. 
Cover the dish, and when the cakes are quite dissolved, 
stir the cream well among them. Beat eight eggs very 
light ; and when the mixture a quite cold, stir the beaten 
eggs gradually into it. Add, by degrees, four peels of 
candied citron, cut into slips, and dredged with flour to 
prevent their sinking to the bottom. Put the mixture 
into a deep dish, and bake it. When done, sift sugar 
over the top. It may be eaten warm or cold. Send to 
table with it a sauce, made of fresh butter and white 
sugar, beaten together till very light, and flavoured with 
the juice of the lemon, whose rind was rubbed on the 
lumps of sugar, and also with some grated nutmeg. 

Instead of citron you may put into this pudding a pound 
of Zante currants, (picked, washed, dried, and floured,) 

stirred gradually in at the last. 

— ♦ — 

AN ORLEANS PUDDING.— Half fill a deep dish 
with almond sponge-cake sliced thin, or with sliced lady- 
cake. Grate the yellow rind of a lemon, and mix it 
j.mong the cake ; adding also the juice of the lemon, and 
sufficient white wine to moisten the cake, so that after 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 109 

standing awhile it can be easily mashed. For wine you 
may substitute brandy ; or wine and brandy mixed. Beat 
six eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a pint 
of cream or rich milk ; adding four table-spoonfuls of 
powdered white sugar, and half a nutmeg grated. Mix 
the eggs, &c, by degrees, with the dissolved cake ; stir- 
ring it very hard. The dish should be full. Set it into 
the oven, and bake it brown. When cold, have ready a 
meringue, made of beaten white of egg thickened with 
powdered loaf-sugar, and flavoured with lemon-juice or 
rose-water. Spread this evenly over the top of the pud- 
ding, putting one layer of the meringue over another till 
it is very thick. Then set it for a few minutes into the 
oven to brown slightly on the top. 

Any very nice baked pudding will be improved by 
covering the surface with a meringue. 

HANOVER PUDDING.— Cut up half a pound of 
fresh butter in half a pint of milk. Set them over the 
fire till the butter is soft enough to mix thoroughly with 
the milk. Then take it off, and let it stand till lukewarm. 
Have ready four well-beaten eggs. Stir them hard into 
the butter and milk. Then add very gradually a pound 
of sifted flour. Last stir in two large table-spoonfuls of 
strong fresh yeast. Beat the whole very hard. Cover 
the pan, and let it stand near the fire for three hours or 
till the mixture is quite light. Have ready half a pound 
of Zante currants, picked, washed, and dried ; or half a 
pound of fine raisins, seeded and cut in half. Dredge the 
fruit thickly with flour to prevent its sinking. Then mix 
it, gradually, into the pudding with two large table-spoon- 
fuls of sugar, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon ; 
and a salt-spoon of sal-eratus, or small tea-spoonful of bi- 
carbonate of soda, dissolved in a very little lukewarm 
water. Stir the whole very hard. Transfer it to a deep 
10 



110 THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 

tin pan, well-buttered, and bake it thoroughly. Before it 
goes to table, turn it out on a dish, and serve it up warm 
with any sort of nice sweet sauce. 

TURKISH RICE PUDDING.— Pick and wash half 
a pound of rice. Prepare also half a pound of Zante 
currants, which must be carefully picked clean, washed 
through two waters, drained well, and then spread out to 
dry on a flat dish before the fire. Put the rice into a 
sauce-pan, with a quart of rich milk. Having dredged 
the currants with flour, stir them a few at a time into the 
rice and milk. Then add four ounces of broken up loaf- 
sugar, on which you have rubbed off the yellow rind of 
a large ripe lemon or orange, and squeezed the juice. 
Stir in two ounces of fresh butter divided into bits. 
When the rice is well swollen and quite soft, take it from 
the fire, and mix with it gradually eight well-beaten yolks 
of eggs. Transfer it to a deep china dish, and put it into 
an oven for half an hour. Then sift powdered 
sugar thickly over the top, and brown it by holding above 
it a red-hot shovel or salamander. Serve it up warm. 

This pudding may be made with ground rice, or rice 
flour. 

CREAM COCOA-NUT PUDDING.— Take two 

cocoa-nuts of large size. Break them up, and pare off 
the brown skin from the pieces. Then grate them very 
fine. Stir together a quarter of a pound of the best fresh 
butter, and a quarter of a pound of finely-powdered loaf- 
sugar, till perfectly light. Beat six eggs till very thick 
and smooth : afterwards mix them, gradually, with a pint 
of rich cream. Add this mixture, by degrees, to the 
beaten butter and sugar, in turn with the grated cocoa- 
nut ; a little at a time of each, stirring very well as you 
proceed. Then give the whole a hard stirring. Put the 



PUDDINGS, ETC. Ill 

mixture into a deep white dish and bake it well. Send 
it to table cold, with loaf-sugar sifted over the top. 

You may season the mixture by stirring in, at the last, a 
tea-spoonful of mixed nutmeg and cinnamon finely pow- 
dered. And you may add a table-spoonful of rose-brandy. 

This pudding may be baked in puff-paste in two deep 
plates, with a broad border of paste round the edge, 
handsomely notched. Or it may be done without any 
paste beneath the mixture ; but merely a paste border 
round the edge of the dish, which last is the better way. 
Paste at the bottom of these soft pudding-mixtures is 
usually tough and clammy, from the almost impossibility 
of getting it thoroughly done ; and therefore it is best 
omitted, as is now generally the case. If there is no 
paste under it, the pudding should be baked in the dish 
in which it is to go to table. Unless the oven is so hot 
as to burn the pudding, no dish will be injured by baking. 
No pie or pudding should be sent to table in any thing 
inferior to white-ware. 

PINE-APPLE PUDDING.— Take half a pound of 
grated pine-apple; half a pound of powdered white sugar, 
and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. Put the sugar 
into a deep pan, cut up the butter among it, and stir them 
together till very light. Then add, by degrees, the grated 
pine-apple. Grate a small two-penny sponge-cake, and 
mix it with a large tea-cup of rich cream, and grate into 
it a small nutmeg, or half a large one. Add this to 
the pine-apple mixture in the pan. Beat six eggs very 
light, and stir them in gradually a little at a time. Stir 
the whole very hard, after all the ingredients are put 
together. Butter a deep dish, put in the mixture, and 
bake it well. 

If your dish has a broad rim, lay round the edge a 
border of puff-paste, cut into leaves resembling a wreath 



112 the lady's receipt-book. 

AN ALMOND RICE PUDDING.— Blanch, in 
boiling water, three ounces of shelled bitter almonds , 
afterwards throwing them into cold water. Pound 
them, one at a time, in a mortar, till they become a 
smooth paste ; adding frequently, as you pound them, a 
few drops of rose-water, to make them white and light, 
and to prevent their oiling. Take a quart of rich, un- 
skimmed milk, and stir into it, gradually, three large, 
heaping table-spoonfuls of ground rice flour, alternately 
with the pounded almonds, and four heaping table-spoon- 
fuls of powdered loaf-sugar. Set the mixture over the 
fire, and boil and stir it till very thick. Then put it into 
a deep dish, and set it away to cool. When cold, have 
ready the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and 
thickened with powdered sugar, that has been melted in 
rose-water. Cover with this the surface of the pudding. 
Set it in an oven just long enough to be slightly coloured 
of a light brown. Send it to table cold. 



BOILED ALMOND PUDDING.— Blanch, in boil- 
ing water, a quarter of a pound of shelled sweet alvnonds, 
and two ounces of shelled bitter almonds. Throw them 
into a pan of cold water, as you blanch them. After- 
wards pound them, one at a time, in a mortar ; adding to 
them, as you proceed, the beaten whites of two or three 
eggs, a little at a time. They must be pounded till they 
become a smooth paste ; mixing together the sweet and 
the bitter almonds, and removing them, as you go on, 
from the mortar to a plate. Then set them in a cool 
place. Boil slowly a quart of cream, or rich, unskimmed 
milk, with six blades of beaten mace, and half a nutmeg, 
powdered. It may simmer half an hour, and when it 
boils, stir in four table-spoonfuls of white sugar, and 
set the milk to cool. Beat eight eggs very light, (omit 
ting the whites of three,) and then add to them a heapeu 



113 

table-spoonful of flour. Stir the beaten eggs and the 
pounded almonds, alternately, into the pan of milk, (after 
it has become quite cold,) add a table-spoonful of orange- 
flower or rose-water, and stir the whole very hard. 
Have ready, over the fire, a pot of boiling water. Dip 
into it a thick pudding-cloth, shake it out, spread it open 
in a large empty pan, dredge it well with flour, and pour 
the pudding-mixture into it. Tie it very closely, leaving 
sufficient space for the pudding to swell, and plug the 
tying-place with a small lump of flour-and- water dough. 
Lay an old plate in the bottom of the pot of boiling water. 
Put in the pudding, and turn it over in a quarter of an 
hour. Boil it very fast for an hour, or more, after it 
has commenced boiling ; replenishing the pot from a 
kettle of boiling water. When the pudding is done, dip 
it a moment into cold water ; then turn it out on a dish. 
Send it to table immediately, with a sauce of sweetened 
cream, flavoured with rose or orange-flower water. 



BISCUIT PUDDINGS.— Grate some stale milk-bis- 
cuits, till you have six heaping table-spoonfuls of fine 
crumbs. Then sift them through a coarse sieve. Beat 
six eggs very light, and stir them into a pint of cream, 
or rich, unskimmed milk, alternately with the biscuit 
crumbs, a little of each at a time. Beat the mixture 
very hard, and then butter some large breakfast-cups, 
such as hold near half a pint. Nearly fill them with the 
batter. Set them immediately into a brisk oven, and bake 
them half an hour, or more. This quantity will make 
five puddings. Serve them up hot in the cups, and eat 
them w r ith wine-sauce, or with sauce of butter and sugar, 
stirred to a cream, and flavoured with nutmeg and lemon. 



MARMALADE PUDDINGS.— Make the above mix- 
ture, and, when they are baked, turn the puddings out 
10* 



114 

of the cups, make a slit or opening in the side of each, 
and fill up the inside or cavity of each pudding with any 
sort of nice marmalade or jam ; taking care to fill them 
well. Then close the slit with your fingers. They 
may be eaten warm or cold, and require no other sauce 
than sweetened cream. 

AN EXCELLENT CORN-MEAL PUDDING.— 
Boil a quart of rich milk, and pour it scalding hot into a 
large pan. Stir in, gradually, a quart of sifted Indian 
meal, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter ; adding 
the grated yellow rind of a lemon or orange. Squeeze 
the juice upon a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, and 
stir that in also. Add a large tea-spoonful of powdered 
cinnamon. Have ready a pound of raisins, seeded, and 
cut in half, and dredged thickly with wheat flour, to pre- 
vent their sinking. Beat six eggs very light, and stir 
them gradually into the mixture. Lastly, stir in the rai- 
sins, a few at a time, and stir the whole very hard. 
Have ready a large pot of boiling water ; dip into it a 
square pudding-cloth, shake it out, and dredge it with 
flour. Spread out the cloth in a deep, empty pan, and 
pour into it the pudding-mixture. Tie it firmly, leaving 
room for the pudding to swell. Put it into the pot of hot 
water, and boil it four hours, or five ; turning it several 
times, while boiling ; and replenishing the water, as it 
boils away, with water kept hot, for the purpose, in a 
kettle. When done, take out the pudding from the pot ; 
dip it, for a minute into cold water, before you untie the 
cloth ; then turn it out into a dish, and send it to table. 
It should not be taken out of the pot till a minute or two 
before it is wanted. 

Eat it with wine-sauce ; or with butter, white sugar 
nutmeg, and lemon or orange-juice, beaten together to a 
light cream. 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 115 

What is Jeft, may be tied again in a cloth, and boiled 
for an hour, next day. 

Instead of butter, you may use a quarter of a pound of 
beef-suet, minced as fine as possible. 



PEACH INDIAN PUDDING.— Wash a pint, or 
more, of dried peaches ; then drain them well ; spread 
them on a large dish, and set them in the sun, or near 
the fire, till all the water that remains about them is en- 
tirely exhaled. Boil a quart of rich milk ; mix it, while 
hot, with a pint of West India molasses, and then set it 
away to cool. Chop, very fine, a quarter of a pound of 
beef-suet, (veal-suet will do,) and stir it gradually into the 
milk, a little at a time. Beat six eggs very light, and 
stir them, by degrees, into the mixture, in turn with as 
much yellow Indian meal (sifted) as will make a mode- 
rately thick batter. Having dredged the peaches thickly 
with wheat flour, to prevent their sinking, add them, one 
at a time, to the mixture, stirring it well ; and, lastly, stir 
in a table-spoonful of ground ginger, or a tea-spoonful of 
powdered cinnamon. Dip a thick, square pudding-cloth 
into boiling water, then shake it out, spread it open in a 
large pan, dredge it with flour, and pour in the pudding- 
mixture. Tie it fast; leaving room for it to swell; and 
plaster the tying-place with a bit of dough, made of flour 
and water. Put the pudding into a large pot of boiling 
water, with an old plate laid at the bottom, and boil it 
from four to five or six hours, filling up the pot, as it boils 
away, with hot- water from a tea-kettle, and turning the 
pudding frequently. When done, dip it in cold water, 
lay it in a pan, and turn it out of the cloth. Eat it with 
butter and sugar, beaten to a cream, and seasoned with 
powdered nutmeg. 

If there is not time to boil the pudding several hours, on 
the day you want it for dinner, prepare it the day before ; 



116 

boil it then all the afternoon, and boil it again the following 
day. Indian puddings can scarcely be boiled too long. 
They will be the better, indeed, for eight hours' boiling. 

A FINE INDIAN PUDDING.— Take a pound of 
raisins, and cut them in half, having first removed the 
seeds. Then spread them on a large dish, and dredge 
them thickly with fine wheat flour, turning them about, 
that both sides may be well floured. Boil a quart of rich 
milk, and when it has come to a boil, take it off the fire, 
and set it to cool. Transfer the half of this milk (one 
pint) to another pan, and, while it is still warm, stir into 
it a quarter of a pound of butter, cut into bits ; a quar- 
ter of a pound of brown sugar, (or else a half pint of 
West India molasses,) mixed with the grated yellow 
rind of a large lemon or orange, and also the juice. 
Add a large tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon and nut- 
meg, mixed, and a glass of brandy. Beat eight eggs 
very light ; and, when it is quite cold, stir the eggs, 
gradually, into the other pint of milk. Then mix the 
ingredients of both pans together ; adding eight large 
table-spoonfuls of Indian meal, or enough to make a thick 
batter. Lastly, mix in the floured raisins, a few at a time, 
stirring the whole very hard. Have ready, over the fire, 
a large pot of boiling water. Dip a square pudding- 
cloth into it ; shake it out ; spread it open over the inside 
of an empty pan, and dredge it with flour ; pour the 
batter into it, and tie it firmly ; leaving room for the pud- 
ding to swell. Plaster a small lump of flour-and-water 
dough upon the crevice of the tying-place, to assist in 
keeping out the water, which, if it gets in, will render 
the pudding heavy. Put it into the pot of hot water, 
and boil it steadily for four, five, or six hours, turning it 
frequently in the water. It can scarcely be boiled too 
long. Keep at the fire a kettle of hot water, to replenish 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 117 

the pudding-pot, as it boils away. Do not take up the 
pudding, till immediately before it is to go to table. Dip 
it into cold water, and then turn it out of the cloth upon 
a dish. Eat it with wine-sauce, or with butter, sugar, 
and nutmeg. If enough of the pudding is left, it may, 
next day, be tied in a cloth, and re-boiled for an hour. 



RASPBERRY 'PUDDING.— Fill a deep dish with 
a quart of ripe raspberries, well mixed with four or five 
large table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar. As you put in 
the raspberries mash them slightly with the back of a 
spoon. Beat six eggs as light as possible, and mix them 
with a pint of cream or rich unskimmed milk, and four 
more spoonfuls of sugar, adding some grated nutmeg. 
Pour this over the raspberries. Set the dish immediately 
into a moderate oven, and bake the pudding about half an 
hour. When done, set the dish on ice, or where it will 
become quite cold before it goes to table. 

A similar pudding may be made with ripe currants, 
picked from the stalks ; or with ripe cherries stoned. I 

A pine-apple pudding made in this way is excellent. 
There must be as much pine-apple as will measure a 
quart, after it is pared, sliced, and grated fine. Sweeten 
it well with loaf-sugar. 

A COTTAGE PUDDING.— Take ripe currants, and 
having stripped them from the stalks, measure as many 
as will make a heaping quart. Cover the bottom of a 
deep dish with slices of bread, slightly buttered, and with 
the crust cut off. Put a thick layer of currants on the 
bread ; and then a layer of sugar. Then other layers of 
bread, currants, and sugar, till the dish is full; finishing 
at the top with very thin slices of bread. Set it into the 
oven, and bake it half an hour. Serve it either warm or 
cold ; and eat it with sweetened cream. 



118 

Instead of currants you may take cherries, (first stoning 
them all,) raspberries, ripe blackberries, or barberries, 
plums, (first extracting the stones,) stewed cranberries, 
or stewed gooseberries. If the fruit is previously stewed, 
the pudding will require but ten minutes' baking. When 
it is sent to table have sugar at hand in case it should not 
be sweet enough. 

RIPE CURRANT PUDDING.— Take two quarts 
of fine ripe currants, strip them from the stalks, and mix 
with them a quarter of a pound of sugar. Make a paste 
of a pound and a half of sifted flour, and three-quarters of 
a pound of the best fresh butter. Cut up half a pound 
of the butter into the pan of flour, and rub the butter into 
the flour with your hands till it is thoroughly mixed all 
through. Mix with it barely as much cold water as will 
make it into a stiff dough. If you use too much water the 
paste will be tough. Beat the lumps of dough on both sides 
with the rolling-pin. Then transfer it to your paste- 
board ; roll it out into a thin sheet, and spread over it 
with a knife another quarter of a pound of butter. Then 
flour it, fold it up, and beat it again with the rolling-pin. 
Afterwards roll it out thicker. Put the currants into it, 
and close the paste over the top in the manner of a large 
dumpling. Boil it in a cloth in the usual manner. It 
will require two hours or more. Eat it with sugar. 

You may make the paste of minced suet instead of 
butter. 

CHERRY PUDDING may be made as above, first 
stoning the cherries, which should be ripe and red, and 
made very sweet with sugar. < 

GOOSEBERRY PUDDING.— Take a quart or more 
of full-grown green gooseberries. Pick off the tops and 






PUDDINGS, ETC. 119 

tails, and as you do so, lay the gooseberries in a pan. 
Then pour on sufficient boiling water to scald them tho- 
roughly, cover the pan, and let the gooseberries stand 
till they grow cold. Next put them into a sieve and drain 
off the water. While the gooseberries are cooling, pre- 
pare a paste for them. Take six ounces of fresh beef- 
suet ; weighed after you have trimmed it, and removed 
the strings. Mince it as finely as possible. Sift a pound 
of flour into a pan, and rub the minced suet into it ; adding 
half a pint of cold water, or barely enough to make it into 
a dough, and a small salt-spoon of salt. Beat the lump 
of dough on all sides with the rolling-pin ; this will add 
to its lightness. Then transfer it to your paste-board, 
and roll it out very evenly into a circular sheet. When 
the gooseberries are cold, mix with them half a pound 
of the best brown sugar, and lay them in a heap in the 
middle of the sheet of paste. Close the paste over them 
in the manner of a large dumpling. Have ready a pot 
of boiling water. Dip your pudding cloth into it ; shake 
it out ; spread it open in a broad pan ; and dredge it 
with flour. Then lay the pudding in it, and tie the cloth 
very firmly, but leaving room for the pudding to swell. 
Stop up the crevice at the tying-place with a small lump 
of stiff dough made of flour and water. Put the pudding 
into the pot, (which should be boiling hard at the time,) 
having placed an old plate at the bottom as a preventive 
to the pudding sticking there, and scorching. After it 
has been in fiifteen minutes, turn it with a fork. If 
the water boils away replenish it with more hot water 
from a kettle. Boil the pudding three hours or more. 
Then take it up, dip it into cold water and turn it out 
into a dish. Send it to table hot, and eat it with additional 
sugar. If too much sugar is put in with the gooseberries 
at first, and boiled with them, it will render them tough 
It is best to depend chiefly on sweetening them at table. 



120 

A similar pudding may be made of currants either 
green or ripe. They will not require scalding. The 
paste may be of fresh butter instead of suet. 

A RAISIN PUDDING.— Stone a pound of large 
fine fresh raisins, and cut them in half. If using the 
sultana, or seedless raisins, you may leave them whole. 
Spread the raisins on a large flat dish ; and mix with 
them the yellow rind of a -large fresh lemon, or orange. 
This rind must be pared off as thin as possible, and cut 
into very small slips. Dredge the raisins and peel 
thickly with flour to prevent their sinking or clodding, 
tumbling them about with your hands that they may be 
well floured all over. Mix the juice of the lemon or 
orange with five or six large table-spoonfuls of sugar 
heaped up. Mince, as finely as possible, half a pound 
of beef-suet. Beat six eggs very light, and then stir 
into them, gradually, the suet and the sugar, in turn with 
six heaped table-spoonfuls of sifted flour. Then add by 
degrees the fruit and a powdered nutmeg. Lastly, stir 
in gradually a pint of rich milk. Stir the whole very 
hard. Scald a large square pudding-cloth ; shake it out; 
spread it open in a deep pan ; dredge it with flour ; put 
in the pudding-mixture, and tie the cloth firmly. It 
should be little more than three-quarters full, that the 
pudding may have room to swell. Mix with flour and 
water a small lump of stiff dough, and plaster it on the 
tying-place to prevent the water getting inside. Have 
ready a pot full of boiling water ; and put in the pudding, 
having laid an old plate at the bottom of the pot, to keep 
it irom burning if it should sink. Turn the pudding 
several times while boiling. It should boil hard at least 
four hours, (five will not be too long,) and if the water 
boils away so as not entirely to cover the whole of the 
bag it must be replenished from a boiling kettle. Take 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 121 

up the pudding immediately before it is to go to table. 
Dip it in cold water for an instant, then turn it out of the 
cloth into a dish, and serve it up hot. Eat it with wine- 
sauce; or with butter and sugar beaten to a cream. 



MINCE PUDDING.— Take a pound and a half of 
mince-meat, and sift three-quarters of a pound of flour. 
Beat six eggs very light, and stir into them, alternately, 
the mince-meat and the flour, a little at a time of each. 
Stir the whole very hard. Have ready a pudding-cloth 
dipped into a pot of boiling water, then shook out, and 
dredged with flour. Spread out the cloth in a large pan, 
and pour into it the pudding. Tie it tightly, leaving 
room for the pudding to swell ; and stop up the tying- 
place with a small bit of dough made of flour and water. 
Put it immediately into a large pot of boiling water, hav- 
ing an old plate at the bottom to keep the pudding from 
scorching. Boil it steadily five or six hours, turning it 
in the pot every hour. As the water boils away, replen- 
ish it from a kettle of water that is kept boiling hard. Do 
not turn out the pudding till immediately before it is sent 
to table. Eat it with wine-sauce. 

This pudding is excellent. The mince-meat is the 
same that is prepared for mince-pies. 



A TEMPERANCE PLUM PUDDING.— Take a 

pound of the best raisins, and cut them in half, after re- 
moving the seeds. Or use sultana raisins that have no 
seeds. Pick, and wash clean, a pound of currants, and 
dry them before the fire, spread out on a large flat dish. 
Cut into slips half a pound of citron. Then mix 
together, on the same dish, the currants, the raisins, and 
the citron, and dredge them thickly with flour to pre- 
vent their sinking or clodding in the pudding; tumbling 
them about with your hands till they are all over well- 



122 

covered with the flour. Mince very fine a pound of beef- 
suet. Mix a pint of West India molasses with a pint of 
rich milk. Sift into a pan a pound of flour. In another 
pan beat eight eggs very light. Stir the beaten eggs, 
gradually, into the mixed molasses and milk ; alter- 
nately with the flour, and half a pound of sugar, (which 
should previously be crushed smooth by roiling it with a 
rolling-pin,) a little at a time of each. Then add, by de- 
grees, the fruit and the suet, a little of each alternately. 
Beat and stir the whole very hard, till ail the ingredients 
are thoroughly mixed. Take a large clean square cloth 
of coarse strong linen, dip it in boiling water, shake ^it, 
spread it out in a large pan, and dredge it with flour to 
prevent the pudding from sticking to it when boiled. 
Then pour the pudding-mixture into the cloth ; leave 
room for it to swell, and tie it firmly, plastering up the 
tying-place with a bit of coarse dough made of flour and 
water. Have ready a large pot full of water, and boiling 
hard. Put in the pudding, and boil it well from six to 
eight hours. Less than six will not be sufficient, and 
eight hours will not be too long. Turn it several times 
while boiling, and keep at hand a kettle of hot water to 
replenish the pot as it boils away. Do not take it up till 
immediately before it is wanted on the table. Then dip 
it for a moment into cold water, untie the cloth, and turn 
out the pudding. Serve it up with a sauce-boat of sweet- 
ened cream, seasoned with nutmeg; or with butter and 
sugar beaten together till light and white, and flavoured 
with lemon. What is left of the pudding may be tied 
up in a cloth and boiled again next day for an hour or 
more. It will be equally as nice as on the first day. This 
is a much better way of re-cooking than to slice and 
fry it. 

This pudding may be made with sifted yellow Indian 
meal, instead of wheat flour. 






PUDDINGS, ETC. 123 



MARROW PUDDING.— Grate a quarter of a pound 
of sponge-cake, and mix with it a quarter of a pound of 
beef-marrow, finely minced. Add the grated peel and the 
juice of a large lemon or orange ; half a grated nutmeg; 
and four table-spoonfuls of sugar. Stone half a pound of 
very good fresh raisins, cut them in half, and dredge them 
well with flour. Beat four eggs very light, and stir them 
gradually into half a pint of cream or rich milk. Mix 
it, by degrees, with the other ingredients. Lastly add 
the raisins, a few at a time ; and stir the 'whole very hard. 
Butter a deep dish ; put in the mixture ; bake it an hour 
or more, and send it to table warm, with slips of candied 
citron stuck all over the top, so as to stand upright. For 
sauce have white wine, mixed with sugar and lemon 
juice. 

This pudding may be boiled in a cloth. It will require 
three hours' boiling. 



TRANSPARENT PUDDING.— Warm half a pound 
of fresh butter, but do not allow it to melt. Mix with it 
half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and stir them to- 
gether till they are perfectly light. Add a small nutmeg 
grated, or half a large one. Beat eight eggs a slight as 
possible ; and stir them gradually into the butter and 
sugar. Finish with sufficient extract of roses to give it 
a fine flavour. Stir the whole very hard ; butter a deep 
dish, put in the mixture, and bake it half an hour. Serve 
it up cold. 

You may bake this pudding in puff-paste. 



TAPIOCA PUDDING.— Put four large table-spoon- 
fuls of tapioca into a quart of milk, and let it stand all 
night. In the morning put half a pint of milk into a 
small sauce-pan, and boil in it a large stick of cinnamon 
broken up, and a handful of bitter almonds or peach- 



124 

kernels broken small. Keep it covered and boil it slowly, 
till highly flavoured with the cinnamon and almond, which 
must then be strained out, and the milk mixed with that 
which has the tapioca in it. Put it into a tin vessel or 
one lined with porcelain, and boil it till it becomes very 
thick with the dissolved tapioca; stirring it frequently 
down to the bottom. Add a piece of fresh butter as large 
as an egg ; a quarter of a pound of sugar, and four well- 
beaten eggs stirred in gradually ; a table-spoonful of 
brandy ; and a grated nutmeg. Stir the whole well 
together, put it into a deep dish, and bake it an hour. 

Instead of boiling bitter almonds with the cinnamon in 
the extra half pint of milk, you may boil the cinnamon 
only. And when you are afterwards finishing the whole 
mixture, stir in a table-spoonful of peach-water at the 
last. 

Tapioca is to be bought at the grocer's, and also at the 
druggist's. 

EXCELLENT GROUND RICE PUDDING.— 
Take half a pint from a quart of rich milk, and boil in it a 
large handful of bitter almonds or peach kernels, blanched 
and broken up ; also half a dozen blades of mace, keeping 
the sauce-pan closely covered. When the milk is highly 
flavoured and reduced to one half the quantity, take it 
off and strain it. Stir, gradually, into the remaining 
pint and a half of milk, five heaping table-spoonfuls of 
ground rice ; set it over the fire in a sauce-pan, and let it 
come to a boil. Then take it off, and while it is warm, 
mix in gradually a quarter of a pound of fresh butter and 
a quarter of a pound of white sugar. Afterwards, beat 
eight eggs as light as possible, and stir them, gradually, 
into the mixture. Add some grated nutmeg. Stir the 
whole very hard ; put it into a deep dish ; and set it im- 
mediately into the oven. Keep it baking steadily for an 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 125 

hour. It should then be done. It may be eaten either 
warm or cold. 

To ornament it, have ready some sweet almonds 
blanched whole, and then split in half. Place six of them 
on the centre of the pudding, so as to form a star. Lay 
others in lines like rays diverging from the star, and 
place the remainder in a circle near the edge Of the 
pudding. 

Any pudding may be ornamented as above. 



A SOUFFLE PUDDING.— Take eight rusks, or soft 
sugar-biscuits, or plain buns. Lay them in a large deep 
dish, and pour on a pint of milk, sufficient to soak them 
thoroughly. Cover the dish, and let them stand, undis- 
turbed, for about an hour and a half before dinner. In the 
mean time, boil half a pint of milk in a small sauce-pan with 
a handful of bitter-almonds or peach-kernels, broken small ; 
or a small bunch of fresh peach-leaves, with two large sticks 
of cinnamon broken up. Boil this milk slowfy, (keeping 
it covered,) and when it tastes strongly of the flavouring 
articles, strain it, and set it away to cool. When cold, 
mix it into another pint of milk, and stir in a quarter of a 
pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Beat eight eggs very 
light, and add them gradually to the milk, so as to make 
a rich custard. After dinner has commenced, beat and 
stir the soaked rusk very hard till it becomes a smooth 
mass, and then, by degrees, add to it the custard. Stir 
the whole till thoroughly amalgamated. Set the dish 
into a brisk oven, and bake the pudding rather more than 
ten minutes. The yeast, &c, in the rusk will cause it 
to puff up very light. When done, send it to table warm, 
with white sugar sifted over it. You may serve up with 
it as sauce, sweetened thick cream flavoured with rose- 
water, and grated nutmeg. Or powdered loaf-sugar and 
11* 



126 

fresh butter stirred together in equal portions, and sea- 
soned with lemon and nutmeg. 

Another way in making a souffle pudding, instead of 
boiling the flavouring in a separate half pint of milk, is, 
after making the custard of cold milk, sugar, and eggs, to 
stir into it a wine-glass of peach-water, rose-water, or 
orange-flower water ; or else two table-spoonfuls of 
Oliver's extract of vanilla. Or you may flavour it with 
the yellow rind of a large lemon rubbed off upon some 
lumps of the sugar before it is powdered. 



A CHARLOTTE PUDDING.— Have ready a suffi- 
ciency of dried peaches that have been stewed very soft, 
and flavoured, while stewing, with the yellow rind of one 
or two oranges, pared very thin and cut into small slips. 
The stewed peaches must be mashed very smooth. Take 
a deep dish, and cover the inside with a layer of brown 
sugar mixed with powdered cinnamon or nutmeg. Upon 
this put a layer of thin slices of bread and butter with all 
the crust pared off; turning the buttered side downward. 
Next put on a thick layer of the stewed peaches. Then 
more sugar and spice ; then more bread and butter, and 
then another layer of peach. Proceed thus till the dish is 
full ; and cover the top slightly with grated bread-crumbs. 
Put it into a moderate oven ; and bake it brown. 

It may be eaten either warm or cold. 

Instead of peaches, you may make this pudding of 
stewed apple flavoured with lemon ; or with stewed 
goose-berries made very sweet with brown sugar. If 
you use goose-berries, the spice should be nutmeg, not 
cinnamon. 



A NOVICE'S PUDDING.— Beat to a stiff froth the 
whites only of eight eggs. Then beat into them half a 
pound of powdered white sugar — a tea-spoonful at a time. 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 127 

Stir into a pint of rich cream or unskimmed milk a wine- 
glass of rose-water, or a table-spoonful of extract of roses. 
You may substitute two table-spoonfuls of extract of va- 
nilla ; or two of peach, water. Stir the beaten egg and 
sugar into the milk, alternately with four ounces of 
sifted flour, a spoonful at a time. Beat the whole very 
hard ; put it into a deep dish, well-buttered, and set it 
immediately into a rather quick oven, and bake it well. 
Serve it up warm ; and eat it with butter and white sugar 
beaten to a cream, and flavoured in the same manner as 
the pudding. 

This pudding will be found very white and delicate. 
It is peculiarly excellent made with melted ice-cream tha. 

has been left. 

— ♦ — 

CHOCOLATE PUDDING.— Have the best and 
strongest American chocolate or cocoa. Baker's pre- 
pared cocoa will be found excellent for all chocolate pur- 
poses ; better indeed than any thing else, as it is pure, 
and without any adulteration of animal fat, being also 
very strong, and communicating a high flavour. Of this, 
scrape down, very fine, two ounces or more. Add to it a 
tea-spoonful of mixed spice, namely, powdered nutmeg and 
cinnamon. Put it into a very clean sauce-pan, and pour 
on a quart of rich milk, stirring it well. Set it over the 
fire, or on hot coals ; cover it ; and let it come to a boil. 
Then remove the lid ; stir up the chocolate from the bot- 
tom, and press out all lumps. Then return it to the fire, 
and when thoroughly dissolved and very smooth, it is 
done. Next stir in, gradually, while the chocolate is 
still boiling-hot, a quarter of a pound or more of pow- 
dered loaf-sugar. If you use such white sugar as is 
bought ready powdered, you must have near half a 
pound, as that sugar has very little strength, being now 
adulterated with ground starch. When the chocolate is 



128 

well sweetened, set it away to cool. Beat eight eggs 
very light, and pour them through a strainer into the 
pan of chocolate, when it is quite cold. Stir the whole 
very hard. Then put it into the oven, and bake it well. 
Try it when you think it done, with the twig from a 
broom. If on putting the twig into the middle of the 
pudding, and sticking it quite down to the bottom, the 
twig comes out clean, and with nothing clammy adhering 
to it, the pudding is then sufficiently baked. It should 
be eaten cold. Sift white sugar thickly over it before it 
goes to table. It will be found very nice. 

This pudding will bake best by sitting the pan in a 
dutch oven half-filled with boiling water. 



MACCARONI PUDDING.— Boil a quarter of a 
pound of maccaroni in a pint of rich unskimmed milk, 
with a handful of blanched bitter almonds or peach- 
kernels, and two sticks of cinnamon broken into pieces. 
It must boil till the maccaroni is soft, and dissolving. 
Then remove the bitter almonds and the cinnamon ; stir 
in, while it is hot, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, 
a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and half a pint 
of rich cream. Mix all well, and beat it hard. Then 
beat four eggs till very thick and light, and stir them 
gradually into the mixture after it has cooled. Add a 
grated nutmeg, and a table-spoonful of brandy. Butter 
a deep dish; put in the mixture; set it directly into the 
oven, and bake it. 

Vermicelli pudding may be made as above. Also a 

ground rice pudding. 

— ♦ — 

A LADY'S PUDDING.— Rub off on lumps of loaf 
sugar the yellow rind of one large lemon, or two small 
ones. Then crush that sugar, and add more to it till you 
have four heaped table-spoonfuls. Beat to a stiff froth 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 129 

the whites only of four eggs. Then gradually add the 
sugar (a little at a time) to the beaten white of egg. 
Have ready in a pan, a pint of cream or rich unskimmed 
milk. Stir into it by degrees the mixture of white of egg 
and sugar, alternately with four heaped table-spoonfuls or 
four ounces of sifted flour. When the whole is mixed, 
stir it long and hard ; and then transfer it to a deep dish, 
the inside of which must be slightly buttered. Bake it 
from half an hour to three quarters ; and when done 
sift powdered sugar over the top. Send it to table warm, 
with a sauce of equal quantities of fresh butter and pow- 
dered white sugar stirred together to a light cream, and 
flavoured with lemon-juice and grated nutmeg. 

This pudding will be found very delicate. For a large 
one, take the whites of eight eggs, the rind of two large 
lemons, half a pound of sugar, a quart of cream or rich 
milk, and eight heaped table-spoonfuls of flour. 



BOILED LEMON PUDDING.— Grate very fine as 
many bread-crumbs as will weigh half a pound. Take 
half a pound of broken up loaf-sugar, and on some of the 
lumps rub off the yellow rind of two large lemons, or 
three small ones, having first rolled the lemons under 
your hand upon a table to increase the juice. Then 
powder finely all the sugar, including the lumps on 
which the lemon-rind has been rubbed. Cut up in a 
deep pan a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. Add to 
it half the powdered sugar, and stir them hard together 
till very light and thick. Beat six eggs till as light as 
possible ; and then (having stirred in two table-spoonfuls 
of sifted flour) add them gradually to the beaten butter 
and sugar, in turn with the bread crumbs, a little at a time 
of each. Squeeze the juice of the lemons through a 
strainer, and mix it with the remaining sugar. Then add 
that sugar, gradually, to the other ingredients, and stir 



130 the lady's receipt-book, 

the whole very hard. Have ready a pudding-cloth dipped 
in boiling water, shaken out, spread open over a pan, and 
then dredged with flour. Put in the pudding-mixture, and 
tie it firmly, leaving room for it to swell, and not forgetting 
to stop up the little aperture at the tying-place with a bit 
of flour-and- water dough. Put the pudding into a large 
pot of boiling water, and keep it boiling steadily for two 
hours or more, turning it several times in the pot. Serve 
it up hot, accompanied by a cold sauce of equal portions 
of powdered white sugar and fresh butter, beaten together 
to a cream, and flavoured with lemon-juice and nutmeg. 

You may boil it in a pudding-mould, with a hole or 
cavity in the centre. After turning it out on the dish, 
fill up the hole with the above-mentioned sauce, heaping 
high in the middle. For this purpose the sauce should 
be made rather stiff, allowing more sugar and less butter. 

A boiled orange pudding may be made in the same 
manner. 



POTATOE-FLOUR PUDDING.— Boil a quart of 
rich milk ; and while boiling, stir in gradually a quarter 
of a pound of potatoe-flour well pulverized ; add a quarter 
of a pound of sugar, three ounces of butter, and a tea- 
spoonful of powdered nutmeg and cinnamon. When it 
has thoroughly boiled, set it to cool. When cold, stir in, 
by degrees, four eggs well beaten. Put it into a deep 
dish, and bake it half an hour. Send it to table cold 
with white sugar sifted over the top. 



GREEN CUSTARD.— Pound in a marble or white- 
ware mortar a sufficient quantity of fresh spinach, till you 
have extracted as much green juice as will half fill a 
half-pint tumbler, or two common-sized wine-glasses. 
Mix this quantity of spinach juice with a quart of rich 
unskimmed milk, and a quarter of a pound of loaf-sugar, 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 131 

broken v^ry small. Flavour it with a wine-glass of 
peach water, or with the yellow rind of two large lemons 
grated off on some of the largest lumps of the sugar. 
Or, for the flavouring, you may use a vanilla bean, or a 
handful of bitter almonds or peach-kernels, boiled a long 
time in half a pint of milk, which must then be strained, 
and mixed with the other milk. Beat very light eight 
eggs, or the yolks only of sixteen ; mix them with the 
milk, &c, (having first strained the beaten eggs,) and 
having stirred the whole very hard, pour it into a white- 
ware pitcher, and set it into a pot rather more than half- 
full of boiling water. Place it on a stove or a bed of hot 
coals on the hearth, and stir it to the bottom, and watch 
it continually till it has almost come to a boil. When 
very near boiling, take it off the fire immediately ; for if 
it quite boils, it will curdle. Set it away to get cold. 
When lukewarm it will be an improvement to stir into 
it two table-spoonfuls or more of rose-water. Cover the 
bottom of a large glass-bowl or a deep dish, with slices 
of sponge-cake or Naples biscuit. Then put on green 
sweetmeats, such as preserved goose-berries, green gages, 
green grapes, or green citron melon. When the custard 
is quite cold pour it on, and fill up the bowl with it. If 
made as above, this will be found both delicious and 
ornamental for a dessert, or supper table. 

It may be served up in glass cups ; putting into the 
bottom of each cup a portion of sponge-cake, then a por- 
tion of green sweetmeats, and then filling up with the 
green custard after it has become cold. 

Pistachio-nuts pounded in a mortar will give a fine 

green colour. 

— ♦ — 

RED CUSTARD— May be made according to the fore- 
going receipt, only colouring it red by adding a teacup-full 
of milk, in which has been steeped a small thin muslin 



132 



THE LADY'S RECEIPT-BOOK. 



bag filled with alkanet. Instead of green sweet-meats, 
use preserved cherries, strawberries, or raspberries. 

Alkanet is to be bought at the druggists, is very cheap, 
perfectly innoxious, and is now much used for colouring 
confectionary. The colour it imparts is more beautiful 
than any other red. 

You may obtain a good red colouring by pounding 
boiled beets in a mortar. Pounded beet-leaves will also 
furnish a juice for colouring red. 

GELATINE CUSTARD.— Soak half an ounce of ge- 
latine for three or four hours in a pan of cold water. 
Have ready a quart of milk. Boil in half a pint of it a 
bunch of peach-leaves, or a handful of bitter almonds 
broken up ; also, a stick of cinnamon broken in pieces. 
When it is highly flavoured, strain this milk into the pan 
that contains the rest. Beat four eggs very light, and 
mix them gradually with the milk, adding, by degrees, 
the gelatine, (well drained,) and four heaping table-spoon- 
fuls of sugar. Set it over a slow fire and boil it, stirring 
it frequently. As soon as the gelatine is entirely dis- 
solved, and thoroughly mixed, the custard will be done. 
Transfer it to a deep dish or to cups, and set it on ice or 
in a cold place till wanted. 

INDIAN PUFFS.— Boil a quart of milk; and when 
it has come to a boil, stir into it, gradually, eight large 
table-spoonfuls of Indian meal ; four large table-spoonfuls 
of powdered sugar ; and a grated nutmeg. Stir it hard ; 
letting it boil a quarter of an hour after all the Indianmeal 
is in. Then take it up, and set it to cool. While cool- 
ing, beat eight eggs as light as possible, and stir them, 
grauually, into the batter when it is quite cold. Butter 
some large tea-cups; nearly fill them with the mixture; 
set them into a moderate oven ; and bake them well. 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 133 

Send them to table warm, and eat them with butter and 
molasses ; or with butter, sugar, lemon-juice, and nutmeg 
stirred to a cream. They must be turned out of the cups. 

SWEETMEAT DUMPLINGS.— Make a paste of 
half a pound of fresh butter, or finely minced suet, and a 
pound of flour, moistened with a very little cold water. 
Beat the lump of paste on all sides with a rolling-pin. 
Then roll it out into a sheet, and divide it into equal 
portions. Lay on the middle of each two halves (laid on 
each other) of preserved peaches, or quinces, or large 
preserved plums. Then close the paste round the sweet- 
meat, so as to form a dumpling. Have ready a pot of 
boiling water. Throw the dumplings into it, tied up in 
little cloths, and let them boil twenty-five minutes or 
half an hour. Try one first, to see if they are done. 
When quite done, take them up, dip them in cold water, 
turn them out of the cloths, and send the dumplings to 
table immediately. Eat them with sugar only, or with 
sweetened cream. 

These dumplings may be made with jam or marmar 
lade, formed into a heap or lump, and laid in the centre 
of each piece of paste. 

— * — 

ALTONA FRITTERS.— Pare some fine pippin or 
bell-flower apples that are quite ripe, and of the largest 
size. Then extract the cores with a tin apple-corer, so 
as to leave the hole in the centre smooth and even. 
Spread the sliced apples on a large flat dish, and squeeze 
on each slice some lemon-juice. Then sprinkle them 
thickly with powdered white sugar. Prepare a batter, 
made in the proportion of eight eggs to a quart of rich 
milk, and a pint and a half of sifted flour. Having beaten 
the eggs till very light and thick, add them gradually to 
the milk in turn with the flour, a little at a time of each, 
12 



134 

and stir the whole very hard. Have ready, over hot 
coals, a skillet with a plentiful portion of the best fresh 
butter, melted and boiling hard. Dip the slices of apple 
twice into the batter, and then put them into the skillet 
of butter ; as many at a time as it will contain without 
danger of running into each other as they spread. 
While they are frying, keep shaking the skillet about, 
holding it by the handle. They will puff up very light, 
and must be done of a bright brown. Take them out 
with a perforated skimmer, that will drain off the butter. 
Have ready some powdered sugar, flavoured with nutmeg 
or cinnamon. Roll the fritters in this, and send them to 
table hot. This is a German preparation of fritters, and 
will be found excellent on trial. They may be made of 
large peaches instead of apples ; paring the peaches, and 
cutting them in two, having removed the stones. Allow 
half a peach (well sugared) to each fritter. 

You may fry these fritters in lard, but they will not 
be so nice as if done in fresh butter. 

WASHINGTON FRITTERS.— Boil four large po- 
tatoes ; peel them ; and, when cold, grate them as fine 
as possible. Mix well together two large table-spoonfuls 
of cream, two table-spoonfuls of sweet white wine, half 
a grated nutmeg, two table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar, 
and the juice of a lemon. Beat eight eggs very light, 
(omitting the whites of two,) and then mix them gra- 
dually with the cream, wine, &c, alternately with the 
grated potatoe, a little at a time of each. Beat the whole 
together at least a quarter of an hour after all the ingre- 
dients are mixed. Have ready, in a frying-pan over the 
fire, a large quantity of boiling lard ; and when the bub- 
bling has subsided, put in spoonfuls of the batter, so as to 
make well-formed fritters. Fry them a light brown, and 
take them up with a perforated skimmer, so as to drain 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 135 

them from the lard. Lay them on a hot dish, and send 
them immediately to table. Serve up with them, in a 
boat, a sauce made in the proportion of two glasses of 
white wine, the juice of two lemons, and a table-spoonful 
of peach-water, or a glass of rose-water. Make the sauce 
very sweet with powdered white sugar, and grate nutmeg 
into it. 

These fritters may be made with boiled sweet potatoes, 
grated when cold. 

WINE FRITTERS.— Beat six eggs till very thick 
and smooth ; and when they are quite light, beat into 
them, gradually, six table-spoonfuls of sweet malaga or 
muscadel wine, and six table-spoonfuls of powdered white 
sugar. Have ready a sufficient number of large fresh 
milk biscuits, split in two, soaked in a bowl of sweet wine 
about five minutes, and drained on a sieve. Put some 
fresh lard into a frying-pan, and when it boils, and has 
been skimmed, dip each piece of the split biscuit into the 
batter of wine, eggs, and sugar, and fry them a light 
brown. When done, take them up with a perforated 
skimmer, and drain them well from the lard. Strew 
powdered white sugar over them. 

SWEETMEAT FRITTERS.— Having boiled a large 
beet till it is tender all through, and scraped off the out- 
side, cut the beet into pieces, and pound them in a mar- 
ble mortar till you have extracted the juice. Then stir 
into a quart of milk enough of the beet-juice to give it a 
deep red colour. Beat seven eggs till very smooth and 
light, and stir them gradually into the milk ; alternate- 
ly with a pint and a half of sifted flour. The red 
colour will look paler after the egg is mixed with the 
milk. If you find it too pale, add more beet-juice. Have 
ready some boiling lard in a frying-pan over the fire ; 



136 

and when it has ceased to bubble, and the surface has 
become smooth, put in the mixture by spoonfuls, so as to 
form round or oval cakes of an equal size, and fry them a 
light brown. If you find the batter too thin, stir in a very 
little more flour. As the fritters are done, take them out, 
on a perforated skimmer, draining the lard back into the 
frying-pan. Dredge the fritters thickly with powdered 
sugar, and lay on each some preserved peach, plum, or 
other sweetmeat. You may heap on every one a table- 
spoonful or more of marmalade. Send them to table hot. 

GREEN FRITTERS— Are made as above ; but co- 
loured with the juice of spinach, extracted by pounding 
in a mortar. 

BREAD FRITTERS.— Pick, wash, and dry half a 
pound of Zante currants, and having spread them out on 
a flat dish, dredge them well with flour. Grate some 
bread into a pan, till you have a pint of crumbs. Pour 
over the grated bread a pint of boiling milk, into which 
you have stirred, as soon as taken from the fire, a piece 
of fresh butter, the size of an egg. Cover the pan, and 
let it stand an hour. Then beat it hard, and add nut- 
meg, and a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar, 
stirred in gradually, and two table-spoonfuls of the best 
brandy. Beat six eggs. till very light, and then stir 
them, by degrees, into the mixture. Lastly, add the 
currants, a few at a time ; and beat the whole very hard. 
It should be a thick batter. If you find it too thin, add 
a little flour. Have ready over the fire a hot frying-pan 
with boiling lard. Put in the batter in large spoonfuls, 
(so as not to touch,) and fry the fritters a light brown. 
Drain them on a perforated skimmer, or an inverted 
sieve placed in a deep pan, and send them to table hot. 
Eat them with wine, and powdered sugar. 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 137 

Instead of currants, you may use sultana raisins, cut in 
half and well floured. 



INDIAN FRITTERS.— Having beaten eight eggs 
very light, stir them gradually into a quart of rich milk, 
in turn with twelve large table-spoonfuls of yellow In- 
dian meal, adding a salt-spoon of salt. When all is in, 
stir the whole very hard. Have ready over a clear fire, 
in a pot or a large frying-pan, a pound of fresh lard, boil- 
ing fast. Drop the batter into it, a ladleful at a time. 
If you find the batter too thin, stir into it a little more In- 
dian meal. As the lard boils away, replenish it with 
more. As fast as they are done, take out each fritter 
with a perforated skimmer ; through the holes of which 
let the lard drip back into the pot. The fritters must all 
be well drained. Send them to table hot, and eat them 
with wine and sugar, or with molasses. 

In cooking these fritters, you may drop in three or 
four, one immediately after another ; and they will not 
run, if the lard is boiling fast, and the batter thick 
enough, and made with the proper number of eggs. 



VERY FINE MINCE-MEAT.— Boil two beef's 
tongues, (perfectly fresh,) and, when cold, skin and 
mince them ; including the fat about the roots. Mince, 
also, one pound of beef-suet, and mix it with the chopped 
tongues. Add four nutmegs powdered ; two ounces of 
powdered cinnamon ; and an ounce of powdered mace, 
with a table-spOonful of powdered cloves. Pick clean, 
wash, and dry three pounds of Zanle currants. Seed 
and chop three pounds of the best raisins. Mix the 
fruit with the other ingredients, adding a pound of citron 
sliced, and the grated yellow rind, and the juice of three 
large lemons or oranges. Sweeten the mixture with two 
pounds of sugar, and moisten it with a quart of excellent 
12* 



138 

brandy, and a quart of sherry or Madeira wine. Having 
thoroughly mixed the whole, pack it down, hard, into 
small stone jars, covering them closely, and pasting 
strong white paper over the lids. Do not add the ap- 
ples till you take out the mince-meat for use, as it keeps 
better without them. Then take a sufficient number of 
pippins or bell-flowers, pare, core and chop them, and 
mix them with the mince-meat, allowing three large 
apples to a pint of mince-meat. Their freshness will 
improve the flavour. 

It is best to make mince-meat two or three times 
during the winter ; as it will not continue very good 
longer than five or six weeks. Whenever you take any 
out of the jars, put some additional brandy to the 
remainder. 

For mince-meat, and all other purposes, use none but 
the best raisins. What are called cooking raisins, (like 
cooking butter and cooking wine,) injure instead of im- 
proving the articles with which they are mixed. All 
things of bad quality are unwholesome as well as unpa- 
latable. It is better to do without mince-pies, plum- 
puddings and plum-cakes, than to spoil them with hard, 
dried up, indigestible raisins ; to say nothing of the trou- 
ble of stoning and stemming them, when they are nearly 
all seeds and stems. 

TEMPERANCE MINCE-MEAT.— Take three 
pounds of the lean of a round of fresh beef, that has 
been boiled the day before. It must be thoroughly 
boiled, and very tender. Mince it, as finely as possible, 
with a chopping-knife ; and add to it two pounds of beef- 
suet, cleared from the skin and filaments, and minced 
very small. Mix the suet and the lean beef well to- 
gether ; and add a pound of brown sugar. Pick, wash, 
and dry before the fire, two pounds of Zante currants. 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 139 

Seed and chop two pounds of the best raisins. Sultana 
raisins have no seeds, and are therefore the most conve- 
nient for all cookery purposes. Grate the yellow rind 
of three large lemons or oranges into a saucer, and 
squeeze upon it their juice, through a strainer. Mix 
this with the currants and raisins. Prepare a heaped- 
up table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon ; the same 
quantity of powdered ginger ; a heaped tea-spoonful of 
powdered nutmeg ; the same of powdered cloves ; and 
the same of powdered mace. Mix all these spices into a 
quart of the best West India molasses. Then mix well 
together the meat and the fruit ; and wet the whole with 
the spiced molasses ; of which you must have enough to 
make the mixture very moist, but not too thin. If you 
want the mince-meat for immediate use, add to it four 
pounds of minced apple. The apples for this purpose 
should be pippins or bell-flowers, pared, cored, quartered, 
and chopped fine. Add, also, half a pound of citron, not 
minced, but cut into long slips. 

If you intend the mince-meat for keeping, do not add 
the apple and citron until you are about to make the 
pies, as it will keep better without them. Mix all the 
other articles thoroughly, and pack down the mince- 
meat, hard, in small stone jars. Lay upon the top of it, 
a round of thin white paper, dipped in molasses, and cut 
exactly to fit the inside circumference of the jar. Secure 
the jars closely with flat, tight-fitting corks, and then with 
a lid ; and paste paper down over the top on the outside. 

West India molasses will be found a good substitute 
for the wine and brandy generally used to moisten 
mince-meat. 



TRANSPARENT PASTE.— Take twelve ounces 
(or a pint and a half) of the best fresh butter. Wash 
and squeeze it through several cold waters, and press out 



140 

whatever milk may remain about it. Then set it over 
the fire to soften all through ; but do not allow it to melt, 
so as to become liquid or oily. Beat two eggs till very 
light and smooth ; and when the butler is cool, stir the 
eggs into it, adding, very gradually, a pound of sifted 
flour that has been dried before the fire. Mix the whole 
into a lump of soft dough, and beat it well on all sides with 
the rolling-pin. Then transfer it to a paste-board, and roll 
it out thin. As quickly as possible butter some tart-pans, 
and line them with the paste ; then brush it lightly with 
a little cold water, and sift on, thickly, some powdered 
sugar. They must be baked empty. Set them imme- 
diately in a rather brisk oven, and bake them a light 
brown. When cool, turn them out, and fill them with 
marmalade, jam, or any very nice sweetmeats. If pro- 
perly made and baked, this paste looks very handsome. 
It may be baked in large patty-pans the size of soup- 
plates. 

LIGHT PASTE.— Sift into a pan three quarters of a 
pound of flour, and another quarter on a plate. Beat the 
whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them with a 
wine-glass or more of cold water. With this wet the 
flour to a stiff paste ; and when it is formed into a lump, 
beat it on all sides with the rolling-pin. Then lay it on 
the paste-board, and roll it out into a thin sheet. Use the 
extra quarter of flour for sprinkling and rolling. Have 
ready three quarters of a pound of the best fresh butter, 
divided into three portions. Cover the sheet with one 
portion of the butter, placed all over it in bits of equal size, 
and laid on at equal distances. Then sprinkle on a little 
flour ; fold up the sheet of paste ; flour it slightly when 
folded ; roll it out again ; and put on in the same manner 
another portion of the butter ; then flour it slightly ; fold 
it up ; roll it out again ; and add the third division of 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 141 

butter. Then fold it, flour it, and give it a hard final 
rolling, always moving the rolling-pin from you instead 
of towards you. The paste will then be ready for any 
nice purpose. 



ORANGE TARTS.— Take six or seven fine large 
sweet oranges ; roll them under your hand on a table to 
increase the juice, and then squeeze them through a 
strainer over half a pound or more of powdered loaf-sugar. 
Mix the orange-juice and the sugar thoroughly together. 
Use none of the peel. Break twelve eggs into a large 
shallow pan, and beat them till thick and smooth. Then 
stir in, gradually, the orange-juice and sugar. Have 
ready a sufficiency of the best puff-paste, roll it out thin, 
and line some patty-pans with it, having first buttered 
them inside. Then fill them with the orange-mixture, 
and set them immediately into a rather brisk oven. Bake 
the tarts a light brown ; and when done, set them to cool. 
When quite cold, take them out of the patty-pans, put 
them on a large dish, and grate sugar over their tops. ' 

Lemon tarts may be made in a similar manner, but 
they require double the quantity of sugar. 

For baking tarts it is well to use (instead of tin patty- 
pans) small deep plates of china or white-ware, with 
broad flat edges, like little soup-plates. You can then 
have all round the edge a rim of paste ornamentally 
notched. In notching the edge of a tart, (this must, of 
course, be done before it goes into the oven,) use a sharp 
knife. Make the cuts at equal distances about an inch 
broad, so as to form squares. Turn upwards one square, 
and leave the next one down ; and so on all round the 
edge. This is the chevaiix-de-frize pattern. For the 
shell-pattern, having notched the edge of the paste into 
squares, turn up one half of every square, giving the cor- 



142 

ner a fold down. The paste should always be thickest 
round the rim or edge. 

All tarts are best the day they are baked ; but they 
should never be sent to table warm. 



A VERY FINE CHARLOTTE RUSSE.— Boil a 
vanilla bean and a few blades of mace in half a pint of 
rich milk till it is highly flavoured. Then take out the 
bean ; wipe it ; and put it away for another time, and 
remove the mace also. Mix the flavoured milk w T ith a 
large half-pint of cream. Beat four or five eggs till very 
light and thick ; strain them, and add them gradually to 
the cream, (when it is entirely cold,) to make a rich cus- 
tard. Set this custard over the fire, (stirring it all the 
time,) and before it comes to a hard boil, take it off, and 
set it on ice. Have ready, in another sauce-pan, an ounce 
of the best Russia isinglass boiled to a thick jelly in a 
half pint of water. When the custard and isinglass are 
both cold, (but not hard,) mix them well together, and add 
four table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar. Then take 
half a pound of loaf-sugar in lumps, and rub on them the 
"yellow rind of two lemons. Mix together the strained 
juice of the lemons, and two glasses of sherry or madeira, 
and a glass of brandy ; pour it upon the sugar ; and when 
the sugar is entirely dissolved, mix it with a quart of rich 
cream, and whip it with rods or a whisk to a stiff froth. 
Take off the froth as it stiffens, and add it gradually to the 
custard, stirring it very hard, at the time ; and also after 
the whole is mixed. Then set it on ice. 

Cover the bottom of a handsome china dish or a glass 
bowl, with sliced almond sponge-cake cut to fit. Then 
place round the sides slices of the cake ail of the same 
shape' and size, making them wrap a little over each 
other. Pour in the mixture. Cover .the top with a layer 
of cake cut very thin. Have ready an icing made in the 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 143 

usual manner of beaten white of egg and powdered Joaf- 
sugar ; and flavoured with rose or lemon. Spread it 
thickly and evenly over the surface of the top, smoothing 
it with a broad knife dipped in cold water. Then set it 
on ice till wanted. This Charlotte Russe is not to be 
turned out of the dish. It may be made in two dishes. 

Instead of vanilla, you may flavour the custard with a 
handful of peach-leaves, or of broken up bitter almonds, 
boiled in the first half-pint of milk, and two large sticks 
of cinnamon broken in pieces. 

When the icing on the top has about half-dried, you 
may ornament it by sticking on ripe strawberries of equal 
size in circles, stars, or any fanciful figures. Or it may 
be decorated with white grapes, each grape standing on 
end, if oval or long shaped. 



ANOTHER CHARLOTTE RUSSE.— Take a large 
circular or oval lady cake, and with a sharp knife cut 
out nicely the inside, leaving the sides and bottom stand- 
ing, (about half an inch thick,) in the form of a mould. 
Make a rich boiled custard, allowing eight eggs to a 
quart of unskimmed milk, half a pint of which has been 
previously flavoured by boiling in it half a dozen blades 
of mace with a vanilla bean, or a handful of shelled 
bitter almonds or peach-kernels blanched and broken up. 
Strain this flavoured milk and add it to the other. Then 
beat the eggs very light and stir them gradually into the 
milk. Set it over hot coals, stirring it all the time, but 
take it off before it comes to a boil, or it will curdle. 
Have ready an ounce of isinglass boiled to a jelly in a 
little water. When the custard and the isinglass are 
both cold (not hard) mix them well together and add 
sufficient powdered loaf-sugar to make it very sweet. 
Take a quart of rich cream that has been seasoned with 
extract of roses, and whip it to a stiff' froth. Take off the 



144 

froth as it stiffens, and add it gradually to the custard, 
stirring it very hard after it is all in to prevent its sepa- 
rating. Fill with the mixture the scooped-out sponge 
cake. Then cover the whole with an icing made in the 
usual way of white of egg and sugar, flavoured with rose 
or lemon. Then set it on ice till wanted. 



AN ITALIAN CHARLOTTE.— Take a pint of 
rich cream ; set it on ice, and beat and stir it till it be- 
comes a solid froth. Then boil a vanilla bean in half a 
pint of rich milk till it is highly flavoured. Strain the 
milk, and when cold mix with it six ounces of loaf-sugar 
and the beaten yolks of four eggs, and set it over the fire, 
or rather on a bed of hot coals. Boil it ten minutes, 
stirring it frequently. , When it comes to a boil, add half 
a pint of clear firm jelly-stock that has been made of 
calves' feet, or else an ounce of isinglass that has been 
melted in barely as much boiling water as will cover it. 
Stir the mixture well, and Jet it remain five minutes over 
the fire. Then take it off, and place it on ice, stirring it 
till it begins to thicken. When it is about the consistence 
of very thick gruel, add the whipped cream. Have ready 
an almond sponge cake, baked in the form of a circular 
loa f . With a sharp knife cut out the inside of this cake 
carefully and smoothly ; leaving the sides and bottom 
together, so as to form a mould not quite an inch thick. 
Fill this up to the top with the Charlotte mixture; and 
placing a large plate beneath it, set it on ice to congeal. 
In the mean time, prepare a meringue or icing of beaten 
white of egg, thickened with powdered loaf-sugar, and 
flavoured with extract of orange-flowers. Cover the top 
and sides of the Charlotte with this icing ; spread on 
evenly, and smoothed with a knife dipped in cold water. 
Ornament it with coloured sugar-jelly rings, handsomely 
arranged, or any other nice bonbons. 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 145 

A FRENCH CHARLOTTE.— Lay in a deep dish 
or pan half a pound of bitter almond maccaroons (choco- 
late maccaroons will be still better) and pour on sufficient 
white wine to cover them well, and let them stand till 
entirely dissolved. Whip to a stiff froth a pint of rich 
cream, sweetened with sugar and flavoured with rose or 
lemon. Have ready a large circular almond sponge cake 
with the inside cut out, so as to leave the sides and bottom 
standing in the form of a mould, not quite an inch thick. 
Ornament the edge with a handsome border of icing. In 
the bottom of this mould put the dissolved maccaroons ; 
over them a layer of thick jelly, made of some very nice 
fruit ; and fill up with the whipped cream, heaping it 
high in the centre. 

This is a very fine Charlotte, and is easily made, no 
cooking being required, after the materials are collected. 



A SWEET OMELET.— Break small in an earthen 
pan six maccaroons made with bitter almonds, and mix 
with them a dozen orange-blossoms pounded to a paste. 
If the orange-flowers are not quite blown, the fragrance 
and flavour will be finer. If more convenient, substitute 
for the blossoms a large wine-glass of orange-flower 
water. Add six ounces of powdered loaf-sugar, and mix 
all well together. Separate the whites from the yolks of 
six eggs. Beat the yolks in a broad earthen pan till very 
light and smooth, and add to them, gradually, the other 
ingredients. Have ready the whites beaten to a stiff* 
froth, and stir them in at the last, a little at a time. Put 
four ounces of fresh butter into an omelet pan (or a 
small, clean, short-handled frying-pan, tinned or enamelled 
inside.) Set it over hot coals, and when the butter is all 
melted put in the omelet-batter ; which some one should 
continue to beat till the last minute. When the omelet has 
become hot and has begun to colour, transfer it to a well- 
13 



146 the lady's receipt-book. 

buttered dish. Place it instantly in a rather brisk oven 
and bake it from five to ten minutes, till it is a light-yel- 
lowish brown, and puffed up high. Sift powdered sugar 
over it as quickly as possible, and carry it immediately to 
the dinner-table ; handing it round rapidly for every one 
to take a piece, as it falls very soon. 

These omelets are served up at dinner-parties imme- 
diately on the removal of the meats. 

They must be made, cooked, served up, and eaten with 
great celerity. Therefore it is not usual to commence 
mixing a sweet or soumee omelet, till after the company 
has set down to dinner. 

If exactly followed, this receipt will be found excellent. 

SUNDERLANDS OR JELLY PUFFS.— -Take a 
broad pan, and put into it a pint of rich milk, and half a 
pound of the best fresh butter. Cut up the butter in the 
milk, and, if in cold weather, set it in a warm place, on 
the stove, or on the hearth near the fire, till the butter is 
quite soft ; but do not allow it to melt or oil ; it must be 
merely warmed so as to soften. Then take it off, and 
with a knife stir the butter well through the milk till 
thoroughly mixed. Have ready half a pound of fine flour 
sifted into a deep dish. In a broad pan beat eight eggs, 
with a whisk, till they are very thick and light. Then 
stir the beaten egg into the pan of milk and butter, in turn 
with the sifted flour, a little at a time of each. Stir the 
whole very hard, and then put the mixture into buttered 
tea-cups, filling them only two-thirds. Set them imme~ 
diately into a brisk oven, and bake them twenty minutes 
or more, till they are well browned, and puffed up very 
light. Then take them from the oven, and with a knife 
open a slit in the side of each puff, and carefully put in, 
with a spoon, sufficient fruit jelly or marmalade to fill up 
the whole inside or cavity. Afterwards close the slit, and 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 147 

press it together with your fingers. As you fill them, 
lay each on a large dish ; and before they go to table, 
sift powdered white sugar over them. Eat them cold. 
If properly made they will be found delicious. 

Instead of jelly or marmalade, you may fill the Sunder- 
lands with a rich boiled custard, flavoured with vanilla 
or bitter almonds ; and made with yolk of egg, omitting 
the whites. 

Or the filling may be of thick cream, made very sweet 
with loaf sugar, and flavoured with rose or peach water, 
or with orange-flower water, or with white wine. 



RHUBARB CUPS.— Take twenty stalks of green 
rhubarb ; cut them, and boil them in a quart of water. 
When it comes to a hard boil, take it from the fire ; 
strain off the water ; drain the rhubarb as dry as possible, 
and then mash it, and make it very sweet with brown 
sugar. Have ready half a pint of rice, that has been 
boiled in a quart of water, till soft and dry. Mix the 
rhubarb and the rice well together ; beating them hard. 
Then mould it in cups slightly buttered, and set them on 
ice, or in a very cold place. Just before dinner, turn 
them out on a large dish. Serve up with them, in a 
bowl, cream and sugar, into which a nutmeg has been 
grated ; or else a sauce made of equal portions of fresh 
butter and powdered white sugar, beaten together till 
very light, and flavoured with powdered cinnamon, or 
nutmeg, and oil of lemon or lemon-juice. 



SPANISH BLANC-MANGE.— Weigh half a pound 
of broken-up loaf-sugar of the best quality. On one 
of the pieces rub off the yellow rind of a large lemon. 
Then powder all the sugar, and mix with it a pint of 
rich cream, the juice of the lemon, and half a pint (not 
of madeira or sherry. Stir the mixture very hard, 



148 the lady's receipt-book. 

till all the articles are thoroughly amalgamated. Then 
stir in, gradually, a second pint of cream. 

Put into a small sauce-pan an ounce of the best isin- 
glass, with one jill (or two common-sized wine-glass-fulls) 
of cold water. Set the pan over hot coals, and boil it till 
the isinglass is completely dissolved, and not the smallest 
lump remaining. Frequently, while boiling, stir it down 
to the bottom ; taking care not to let it scorch. When the 
melted isinglass has become lukewarm, stir it, gradually, 
into the mixture of other ingredients ; and then give the 
whole a hard stirring. Have ready two or three white- 
ware moulds, that have just been dipped and rinsed in 
cold water. Fill them with the mixture, and set them 
immediately on ice, and in about two hours (or perhaps 
more) the blanc-mange will be congealed. Do not remove 
it from the ice till perfectly firm. Dip the moulds for a 
moment in lukewarm water ; then turn out the cream on 
glass dishes. 

This will be found a delicious article for a dessert, or 
an evening party, provided the receipt is exactly fol- 
lowed. We highly recommend it, and know that if 
fairly tried, precisely according to the above directions, 
there can be no failure. It is superior to any of the 
usual preparations of blanc-mange. The wine (which 
must be of excellent quality) gives it a delicate and beau- 
tiful colour, and a fine flavour. 

VANILLA BLANC-MANGE.— Chip fine an ounce 
of the best isinglass, and put it into a small sauce-pan, 
with a jill of cold water, and boil it till entirely dissolved. 
In another sauce-pan boil half a pint of rich milk and a 
vanilla bean. Boil it, (with the lid on,) till the flavour of 
the vanilla is well extracted. Whip a quart of rich 
cream to a stiff froth. Separate the whites and yolks of 
four eggs. Beat the whites till they stand alone. Then, 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 149 

in another pan, beat the yolks, and when they are very 
light and smooth, add to them, gradually, a quarter of a 
pound of powdered loaf-sugar, beaten in very hard. 
Then (having strained out the bean) mix with the cream 
the milk in which it was boiled. Then beat in, by de- 
grees, the yolk of egg and sugar ; then the white of egg ; 
and, lastly, the melted isinglass. When all the ingredients 
are united, beat and stir the whole very hard . Rinse your 
moulds in cold water. Then put in the mixture, and set 
it on ice, for two hours or more, to congeal. When quite 
firm, (and just before it is wanted,) dip each mould down 
into a pan of lukewarm water, (taking care that the water 
does not reach the top,) and turn out the blanc-mange on 
glass or china dishes. Keep it on ice, till the minute 
before it is served up. It will be found very fine. 



MACCAROON BLANC-MANGE.— Chip small an 
ounce of the best Russia isinglass ; put it into a small 
sauce-pan ; pour on it a jill of cold water ; and boil it till 
the isinglass is entirely melted, stirring and skimming it 
well. Then strain it ; cover it ; and set it away. Have 
ready a quart of cream, or very rich milk, boiling hot. 
Crush half a pound or more of bitter-almond maccaroons ; 
mix them well with the boiling cream ; cover the vessel, 
and let it stand (stirring it occasionally) till the maccaroons 
are all dissolved. Next add the lukewarm isinglass ; stir 
the whole very hard, and then transfer it to blanc-mange 
moulds, that have been slightly rubbed on the inside with 
a little sweet oil. Set it on ice, (or in a very cold place,) 
and stir it occasionally till it begins to congeal ; then let 
it rest. When quite firm all through, loosen it in the 
moulds, by slipping a knife beneath the edge of the 
blanc-mange, anil warm a clean cloth, and lay it a minute 
over the top. This will render it easy to turn out. Or 
you may loosen the blanc-mange by setting the mould in 
13* 



150 

a pan of lukewarm water. Turn it out into a glass dish. 
Lay on the top of the blanc-mange a sufficient number 
of whole maccaroons, handsomely arranged in a large 
star, or in a circle, and place another circle on the dish, 
round the bottom. 

CHOCOLATE BLANC-MANGE.— The day before 
you want the blanc-mange, take four calves' feet, (singed 
but not skinned,) or eight or ten pigs' feet. Boil them 
slowly, (with frequent skimming,) in four quarts of water, 
till all the meat drops from the bones. Then strain the 
liquid, through a sieve, into a broad tin pan, cover it, and set 
it away in a cold, dry place. Next day it should be a solid 
Cake of clear jelly. Then scrape off all the fat and sedi- 
ment ; cut the jelly into small bits ; and put it into a 
porcelain kettle or preserving pan, and melt it over the 
fire. Have ready six ounces, or more, of cocoa or choco- 
late, that has been scraped fine, and melted, over the fire, 
in a pint of boiling cream, with six ounces of powdered 
loaf-sugar. When the chocolate, cream, and sugar have 
boiled together five minutes after coming to a boil, mix 
them with the melted jelly, and let the whole come to a 
boil again ; and then boil them together five minutes 
more, stirring it occasionally. Next put it into moulds 
that have set all night in cold water. Do not wipe the 
moulds, but leave them damp. Stir their contents well ; 
and when the blanc-mange is thickening, so that it is 
hard to stir, set the moulds on ice, or place them in the 
cellar, in pans of cold water. When the blanc-mange 
has quite congealed, and is very firm, turn it out of the 
moulds, first setting them in lukewarm water, and serve 
it up on china dishes. 

Instead of calves' or pigs' feet, you may substitute an 
ounce of the best Russia isinglass, or an ounce and a half 
of the common sort. The isinglass must be previously 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 151 

dissolved, by boiling it in as much water as will cover it, 
taking care not to let it burn. It must be melted quite 
smooth. Mix it, while warm, with the chocolate, cream, 
and sugar. 



COFFEE BLANC-MANGE may be made as above, 
substituting, for the chocolate, six ounces of the best cof- 
fee, freshly roasted and ground, and boiled in a pint of 
•fieri, unskimmed milk; or of cream, into which there 
has been stirred an ounce or an ounce and a half of isin- 
glass, previously melted by boiling in water ; and, also, six 
ounces of powdered sugar. Boil all together, and then 
strain the liquid into moulds, and set them on ice. 



GELATINE BLANC-MANGE.— From two quarts of 
rich milk take a pint, and put the pint into a small sauce- 
pan, with the yellow rinds of three lemons, pared thin, 
and half a beaten nutmeg. For the lemon-rind, you may 
substitute a handful of bitter almonds or peach-kernels, 
broken up ; or else a vanilla bean. Having boiled the 
pint of milk long and slowly, till it tastes strongly of the 
flavouring articles, (keeping it closely covered,) strain it, 
and mix it, in a larger sauce-pan, with the other three 
pints of milk. Add an ounce and a half of gelatine, (that 
has first been soaked in cold water,) and a quarter of a 
pound of fine loaf-sugar. Set it over the fire, and con- 
tinue to boil and stir it five minutes after it has come to a 
boil. Then strain it, and transfer it to blanc-mange moulds, 
first wetting the inside of each mould with cold water. 
Place the moulds on ice, or in a very cold place, till the 
blanc-mange has thoroughly congealed. Then turn it out 
on dishes. 

CAKE SYLLABUB.— Half fill a glass bowl with 
thin slices of sponge-cake or almond-cake. Pour on suf- 



152 the lady's receipt-book. 

ficient white wine to dissolve the cake. Then rub off, on 
pieces of loaf-sugar, the yellow rind of two lemons, and 
dissolve the sugar in a pint of rich cream. Squeeze the 
juice of the lemons on some powdered loaf-sugar, and 
add it, gradually, to the cream. Whip or mill the cream 
to a stiff froth ; and then pile it on the dissolved cake in 
the glass bowl. It should be heaped high above the edge 
of the bowl. You may ornament the top of the syllabub 
with a circle of real roses or other flowers, — a large one 
in the centre, and smaller ones placed round in a ring. 

ORANGE FLUMMERY.— Begin the day before, by 
boiling four large calves' feet or eight small ones in three 
quarts of water. The best feet for this purpose are those 
that are scalded and scraped, but not skinned. After 
they have boiled slowly about five hours, put in the yel- 
low rind of four large oranges, pared very thin and cut 
small, and several sticks of cinnamon broken up ; and, if 
you choose, a dozen bitter almonds or peach-kernels 
slightly pounded. Then let it boil an hour longer, till 
the meat all drops from the bones, and is reduced to 
shreds, and till the liquid is little more than a quart. 
Strain it through a sieve over a broad white pan, and set 
it in a cold place till next morning, when it ought to be a 
solid cake. Scrape off all the fat and sediment care- 
fully ; otherwise it will not be clear when melted. Cut 
the cake into pieces ; put it into a porcelain kettle, with 
half a pound of double-refined loaf-sugar, broken up, and 
melt it over the fire, adding, when it has entirely dis- 
solved, the juice of six large oranges. Next stir in, gra- 
dually, the yolks of six eggs well-beaten, and continue 
stirring till it has boiled ten minutes. Then take it off the 
fire, transfer it to a broad pan, and set it on ice or in cold 
water. Continue stirring till it is quite cold but not 
set. Wet some moulds with cold water, put the mix- 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 153 

ture into them, and set it in a cold place or on ice to con- 
geal. When perfectly firm, wrap a cloth dipped in warm 
water round the moulds, and turn it out on glass dishes. 
Lemon flummery may be made in the same manner. 

VANILLA FLUMMERY.— -Take two quarts of rich 
milk. Put a pint of it into a clean sauce-pan, and boil in 
it a vanilla bean, (keeping it closely covered,) till the milk 
is highly flavoured. Then strain it into a pan, and stir 
into it, gradually, half a pound of ground rice flour, mix- 
ing it smoothly and free from lumps, till it becomes a 
thick batter. If you find it too stiff, thin it with a little 
milk. Put the rest of the milk (about three pints) into a 
larger sauce-pan, and set it over the fire. When it comes 
to a boil, stir in, gradually, the rice- flour-batter, alternately 
with a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Let 
it continue boiling five minutes after all the batter has 
been put in. Then take it off, and stir in two table- 
spoonfuls of rose-water. Wet some moulds with cold 
water ; put in the flummery and set it on ice or in a very 
cold place to congeal. When quite firm, set the moulds 
for an instant into a pan of lukewarm water. 

Have ready a rich boiled custard, flavoured by boiling 
in the milk the same vanilla bean that was previously 
used for the flummery. The custard should be made in 
the proportion of a pint of milk to four eggs, and four 
table-spoonfuls of sugar. Stir it all the time it is over 
the fire, and take it off just as it begins to boil hard. 
When it is quite cold, send it to table in a glass pitcher 
or bowl to eat with the flummery. 

Rice flummery may be flavoured by boiling in the first 
pint of milk a stick of cinnamon and a handful of bitter 
almonds or peach-kernels all broken up. 

The custard should then be flavoured also with cinna- 
mon and bitter almonds boiled in the custard milk. 



154 the lady's receipt-book. 

Flummery may be coloured green by boiling in the 
last milk, spinach juice extracted by pounding in a mor- 
tar some raw spinach, or some pistachio nuts. 

To colour it red, mix with the milk the juice of a beet 

that has been boiled, scraped, cut up and pounded. Or 

boil in the milk a very small muslin bag with alkanet 

tied up in it. 

— « — 

MERINGUED APPLES.— Pare and core (with a 
tin apple-corer) some fine large pippin apples, but do not 
quarter or slice them. Wash them separately in cold 
water, and then with the water still remaining about the 
surface of the apples, stand them up in a deep baking- 
dish, but do not place them so near each other as to 
touch. Pour into the bottom of the dish just water 
enough to prevent their burning, set them into a close 
oven, and bake them till they are perfectly tender all 
through, but not to break ; as they must on no account 
lose their shape. When done, take them out ; remove 
them to a flat china dish ; and set them immediately to 
cool, clearing off any juice that may be about them. 
When quite cold, fill up the hole from whence the cores 
were extracted with thick marmalade or fruit jelly. 
Have ready a meringue or icing made of beaten white 
of egg, thickened with finely powdered loaf-sugar and 
flavoured with lemon-juice, or extract of roses. In mak- 
ing a meringue the usual proportion is the whites of four 
eggs to a pound of powdered sugar. The white of egg 
must first be whisked to a stiff firm froth, and the sugar 
then beaten into it, gradually, a spoonful at a time; the 
flavouring being added at the last. When the apples 
are quite cold cover them all over with the meringue, put 
on in table-spoonfuls, beginning at the top of each apple 
and then spreading it down evenly with a broad-bladed 
knife dipped frequently into a bowl of cold water. The 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 155 

meringue must be put on very smoothly and of equal 
thickness all over. Then dredge the surface with finely 
powdered loaf-sugar sifted in from a very small sieve. 
Set them into a rather cool oven, and as soon as the 
meringue is hardened, take them out. 

Fine large free-stone peaches may be meringued in 
this manner. To extract the stones of peaches loosen 
them carefully all round with a sharp, narrow-pointed 
knife. You may then easily thrust them out, without 
breaking the peaches, which for this purpose should not 
be over-ripe. 

CHOCOLATE CREAM.— Scrape down a quarter 
of a pound of the best chocolate, or of Baker's prepared 
cocoa. Put it into a marble mortar. Pour on by degrees 
as much boiling water as will dissolve it, and beat it well 
for about a quarter of an hour. Then sweeten it with 
four table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar. Add, gra- 
dually, a pint and a half of rich cream. Mill it with a 
chocolate mill, or a little tin churn ; or beat it hard with 
rods. As the froth rises, take it off and lay it on the 
inverted bottom of a sieve that is placed in a deep pan. 
When done, take the liquid that has drained through the 
sieve, and put a portion of it in the bottom of each glass. 
Then fill the glasses with the froth, heaping it high on 
the top, and set it in a cool dry place till wanted. 



ANOTHER WAY.— Boil a vanilla bean in half a 
pint of milk till the flavour is well-extracted. Then take 
out the bean, wipe it dry, and put it away. It may be 
used a second time for a slight vanilla flavouring. Scrape 
down a quarter of a pound of excellent chocolate, or of 
Baker's prepared cocoa, and mix with it the vanilla-milk. 
Put it into a chocolate pot or a sauce-pan, and pour on it 
a pint and a half of rich milk. Set it over the fire, or on 



156 

a bed of hot coals, and boil it slowly ; stirring it till the 
chocolate is entirely dissolved and thoroughly incorporated 
with the milk. Beat six eggs very light, and stir them, 
gradually, into the mixture ; continuing to stir, lest it 
should curdle. When the egg is all in, and it begins to 
boil up, take it off, and when cool enough transfer it to 
glasses, or to a bowl. 

PISTACHIO CREAM.— Take half a pound of pis- 
tachio nuts. Throw them into scalding water, and peel 
off the skins. Put the nuts (not more than two at a time) 
into a marble mortar, and pound them to a smooth paste, 
adding frequently, as you proceed, a few drops of rose- 
water. Sweeten a quart of cream with half a pound of 
powdered loaf-sugar, and stir into it, gradually, the pis- 
tachio paste. Set the mixture over the fire ; and let it 
just come to a boil. Then take it out ; stir in two table- 
spoonfuls of rose-water or peach-water, and set on ice to 
cool. Either serve it up liquid in a glass bowl, or put it 
into a freezer, and freeze it as ice-cream. If you freeze 
it, you must substitute for the rose-water or peach-water, 
a table-spoonful of extract of roses, or the same quantity 
of extract of bitter almonds. The process of freezing 
diminishes the strength of every sort of flavouring ; and 
of sweetening also. 

If you serve it up as frozen, stick it all over 
with slips of pistachio nut, peeled and sliced. 

ALMOND CREAM.— Take a pound of shelled sweet 
almonds, and two ounces or more of shelled bitter almonds, 
or peach-kernels. Blanch them in scalding water, throw- 
ing them as you proceed into a bowl of cold water. Then 
pound them (one at a time) in a mortar, till each becomes 
a smooth paste ; pouring in, as you proceed, a little rose- 
water to make the almonds white and light, and trans- 



157 

ferring the paste to a plate as you go on. Then when 
they are all done, mix the almonds with a quart of rich 
cream, and a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. 
Add half a dozen blades of mace ; put the mixture into a 
porcelain kettle, and boil it, slowly, stirring it frequently 
down to the bottom. Having given it one boil up, re- 
move it from the fire, take out the mace, and when it has 
cooled a little, put the cream into glass cups, grating nut- 
meg over each. Serve it up quite cold. You may 
ornament each cup of this cream with white of egg, 
beaten to a stiff froth, and heaped on the top. 

COCOA-NUT CREAM may be made as above; 
substituting for the almonds a pound of cocoa-nut grated 
finely. When it has boiled, and is taken from the fire, 
stir into the cream a wine-glass of rose-water. 

A similar cream may be made with pounded pistachio 
nuts. 

Pecan nuts, blanched and pounded, (adding occasionally 
a little cold water to take off the oiliness,) may be boiled 
as above, with cream, sugar, and spice. 

All these creams may be frozen, and served up as ice- 
cream. 

VANILLA CREAM.— Boil a vanilla bean in half a 
pint of rich milk, till the milk is highly flavoured with 
the vanilla. Then (having taken out the bean) strain the 
milk into a pint of thick cream. Beat the yolks of five 
eggs till very light, and then mix gradually with the 
beaten egg a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, 
beating it in very hard. Set the cream over hot coals, 
and add to it by degrees the egg and sugar. Stir it con- 
tinually till it is on the point of coming to a boil. It 
must be very thick and smooth. Cover the bottom and 
sides of a glass bowl or dish, with three quarters of a 
14 



158 

pound of lady-cake, cut into nice even slices. Pour on the 
mixture, and then set the bowl on ice or snow till wanted. 

For lady-cake, you may substitute finger-biscuit, or 
slices of almond sponge-cake. 

You may ornament the bowl by beating to a stiff froth 

the whites of two or three of the eggs, and heaping it on 

the top. 

— ♦ — 

ICED JELLY. — Make calves' feet jelly in the usual 
way. Then put it into a freezer, and freeze it as you 
would ice-cream. Serve it up in a glass bowl or in jelly- 
glasses. You cannot mould it this way ; but the taste 
of jelly when broken up is much more lively than when 
moulded ; also it sparkles and looks handsomer. 

CURRANT ICE.— Pick a sufficiency of ripe currants 
from their stems. Then squeeze the currants through a 
linen bag, and to each quart of the juice allow a pound 
of powdered loaf-sugar. Mix them together, and when 
the sugar is thoroughly melted, put it into a freezer, and 
freeze it in the manner of ice-cream. Serve it up in 
glass bowls. It will be found delicious in warm weather. 



PLUM- WATER ICE.— Take some fine ripe plums. 
Wash them ; cut them in half, and stone them. Crack 
the stones, and take out the kernels. Weigh the plums, 
and to every pound allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar, 
and the w T hite of an egg beaten to a stiff froth. Mix, in 
a preserving kettle, the white of egg with the sugar, 
which should be finely powdered ; and allow to each 
pound and a half of sugar, half a pint of water. Having 
stirred it well, set on the fire, (but not till all the sugar is 
melted,) add the plum-kernels, and boil and skim it. 
When the scum ceases to rise, take the syrup off the fire, 
pour it into a white-ware vessel, and remove the kernels. 



159 

While you are boiling the sugar, put the plums into 
another vessel and boil them by themselves to draw out 
the juice. Then put them into a linen bag, and squeeze 
all the juice into a deep pan or pitcher placed beneath. 
Afterwards mix the plum-juice with the syrup ; stirring 
them thoroughly together ; and put it into a freezer. 
Freeze it well, and when done, serve it in a glass bowl, 
and eat it in saucers. 



DAMSON- WATER ICE may be made as above ; 
except that you boil the damsons whole and make no use 
of the kernels. When the damsons have all burst open, 
put them into a linen bag ; squeeze it well, mix the juice 
with the syrup which you have previously prepared, and 
freeze it. The juice of damsons is much thicker and richer 
than that of plums ; but it requires still more sugar. 

CHERRY-WATER ICE is made nearly as above; 
except that the cherries must be stoned, but not boiled. 
Put them raw into the bag, and squeeze them. The 
cherries should be of the best and most juicy red sort, 
and thoroughly ripe. 

STRAWBERRY ICE is made of ripe strawberries 
put into a linen bag, and the juice squeezed out. Then 
measure it, and to each pint of juice allow half a pound 
of powdered loaf-sugar. Having mixed thoroughly the 
juice and the sugar, put it into a freezer and freeze it. 
In this manner ices (without cream) may be made of 
currant and raspberry juice, mixed raw with sugar. 



GOOSEBERRY -WATER ICE.— Having stewed 
the gooseberries, squeeze out the juice through a linen 
bag. To every pint, allow a pound of loaf-sugar. Mix 
it well, and freeze it. 



160 

PEACH ICE-CREAM— Take fine soft free-stone 
peaches, perfectly ripe. Pare them, and remove the 
stones. Crack about half the stones, and extract the 
kernels, which must be blanched by putting them into a 
bowl, and pouring on boiling water to loosen the skins. 
Then break them up, or pound them slightly ; put them 
into a little sauce-pan, and boil the kernels in a small 
quantity of rich milk, till it is highly flavoured with them; 
keeping the sauce-pan covered. Strain out the kernels, 
and set the milk to cool. Cut up the peaches in a large, 
broad, shallow pan, or a flat dish, and chop them very 
small. Mix with the chopped peaches sufficient powdered 
loaf-sugar to make them very sweet, and then mash them 
to a smooth jam with a silver spoon. Measure the peach 
jam ; and to each quart allow a pint of cream, and a pint 
of rich unskimmed milk. Mix the whole well together, 
and put it into the freezer ; adding when the mixture is 
about half-frozen, the milk in which you boiled the ker- 
nels, and which will greatly improve the peach-flavour. 
When well frozen, turn out the cream and serve it in a 
glass bowl. If you wish to have it in a shape, transfer 
it to a mould, and give it a second freezing. Before you 
turn it out, wash the outside of the mould all over with 
cold water, or wrap a wet cloth round it. Then open it, 
and the ice-cream will come out easily. 

Apricot ice-cream may be made as above. 

CHOCOLATE ICE-CREAM.— Scrape down half a 
pound of the best chocolate or of Baker's prepared cocoa. 
Put it into a sauce-pan, and pour on it a pint of boil- 
ing milk. Stir, and mix it well, and smoothly. Then set 
it over the fire, and let it come to a boil. Mix together 
in a pan, a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, 
and a pint of rich cream. In another pan beat very light 
the yolks of nine eggs. Afterwards gradually stir the 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 161 

beaten egg into the cream and sugar, and then put the 
mixture into a sauce-pan; stir in, by degrees, the choco- 
late ; set it over the fire, and simmer it till it is just ready 
to come to a boil. Strain it through a sieve, transfer it 
to a freezer, and freeze it in the usual manner of ice- 
cream. 

BISCUIT ICE-CREAM.— Take some pieces of 
broken loaf-sugar, and rub off on them the yellow rind of 
four lemons. Then pulverize the sugar and mix it with 
half a pound of loaf-sugar already powdered. Have ready 
eight small Naples biscuits or sponge-cakes, grated fine ; 
stir them, in turn with the sugar, into a quart of cream. 
Give the whole one boil up. Then put it into a 
freezer, and freeze it in the usual manner. Afterwards 
transfer it to a pyramid mould, and freeze it a second 
time. 

Similar ice-cream may be made with maccaroons 
broken small and dissolved in the cream, from whence 
half a pint must be previously taken and boiled with a 
handful of broken up bitter almonds. Afterwards strain 
this, and mix it with the rest. 



FLAVOURED CURDS AND WHEY.— To turn 
two quarts of milk, take a piece of dried rennet about the 
size of the palm of your hand ; wash it well through 
several cold waters to get the salt entirely off, and then 
wipe it dry. Put it into a small bowl, and pour on it half 
a tumbler (a quarter of a pint) of lukewarm water. The 
water must on no account be hot, as to scald rennet 
weakens it and diminishes its power of converting milk 
into curd. Cover the bowl; and let it stand to infuse at 
least four hours. A longer time will do no harm ; there- 
fore, if you intend making the curd early in the day, you 
may put the rennet in soak over night. For lernort- 
14* 



162 the lady's receipt-book. 

flavouring — to two quarts of milk allow two lemons, using 
only the yellow rind or surface of the skin, and grating 
it as finely as possible. Reserve the juice of the lemons 
for some other purpose. Mix the grated rind with the 
rennet-water, first removing the piece of rennet that has 
been soaking in it. Have ready in a large china or glass 
bowl two quarts of rich milk, and stir into it the rennet- 
water and lemon-rind. Cover the bowl, and set it in a 
moderately warm place till the curd has become a firm, 
smooth, unbroken mass, and the whey looks clear and 
greenish. Then set the bowl on ice, and keep it there 
till wanted for the table. Accompany it with a small 
pitcher of rich cream, and a little bowl of powdered loaf- 
sugar and nutmeg. Send it round on saucers. It is a 
delicious article for summer dessert, or for a summer tea- 
table. 

To flavour curds and whey with vanilla — boil a vanilla 
bean slowly in half a pint of milk, keeping the sauce- 
pan closely covered. When the milk is highly flavoured 
with the vanilla, strain it ; and when cold, mix it with 
the milk you intend for the curds. Afterwards add the 
rennet-water. Or you may use instead of the bean, 
extract of vanilla, allowing four table-spoonfuls to two 
quarts of milk. Oliver's extract of vanilla is of excellent 
quality, and may be obtained in small bottles at most of 
the drug stores in Philadelphia. 

To give curds and whey a peach-flavour — stir into the 
milk some peach-water, as soon as you have added the 
rennet-water ; allowing two table-spoonfuls of the peach- 
water to each quart of milk. If you have no peach-water, 
take a handful of peach-kernels, (saved from the stones,) 
pound them, and boil them slowly in half a pint of milk 
till it tastes strongly of them. Then strain the milk, 
and when cold, mix it with the rest, and add the rennet- 
water. A handful of fresh peach-leaves boiled long and 



PUDDINGS, ETC. 163 

slowly in a small portion of milk will produce a similar 
flavour. 

For a rose taste, stir into two quarts of milk a tea- 
spoonful of extract of roses ; or more if it is not very- 
strong ; or add four table-spoonfuls of rose-water. 

Curds and whey that has not been previously flavoured, 
should be sent to table with a small pitcher containing 
white wine, loaf-sugar, and powdered nutmeg. 

RENNETS.— Milk turned into a curd with wine, is 
by no means so good as that which is done with rennet- 
water alone. The curd and whey do not separate so 
completely : the curd is less firm, and the whey less 
clear; the latter being thick and white, instead of thiu 
and greenish as it ought to be. Neither is it so light 
and wholesome as when turned with rennet. 

Rennets of the best quality can be had at all seasons in 
Philadelphia market ; particularly in the lower part, 
called the Jersey market. They are sold at twelve, 
eighteen, or twenty-five cents, according to their size, and 
will keep a year or two ; but have most strength when 
fresh. You may prepare excellent rennets yourself at 
a very trifling expense, by previously bespeaking them 
of a veal butcher ; a rennet being the stomach of a calf. 
Its form is a bag. As soon as you get the rennet, empty 
out all its contents, and wipe it very clean, inside and 
out; then rinse it with cold water; but do not wash it 
much, as washing will weaken its power of turning milk 
into curd. When you have made it quite clean, lay the 
rennet in a broad pan, strew it over on both sides with 
plenty of fine salt ; cover it, and let it rest five days. 
When you take it out of the pan, do not wipe or wash it, 
for it must be stretched and dried with the salt on. For 
this purpose hold it open like a bag, and slip within it a 
long, thick, smooth rod, bent into the form of a large loop ; 



164 

wide at the top, and so narrow at the bottom as to meet 
together. Stretch the rennet tightly and smoothly over 
this bent rod, on which it will be double, and when you 
have brought the two ends of the rod together at the bot- 
tom, and tied them fast, the form will somewhat resem- 
ble that of a boy's kite. Hang it up in a dry place, and 
cut out a bit as you want it. A piece about two inches 
square will turn one quart of milk, a piece of four inches 
two quarts. Having first washed off all the salt in seve- 
ral cold waters, and wiped the bit of rennet dry ; pour 
on it sufficient lukewarm water to cover it well. Let it 
stand several hours ; then pour the rennet-water into the 
milk you intend for the curd, and set it in a warm place. 
When the curd is entirely formed, set the vessel on ice. 

Rennet may be used with good effect before it has 
quite dried. 

HINTS ON CALVES' FOOT JELLY.— In making 
calves' foot jelly, if you intend it for moulds, put in two 
or three pieces of isinglass when you are boiling the in- 
gredients. If you wish it a deep rich colour, put into 
the bottom of the straining-bag a large tea-spoonful of 
brown sugar, before you pour in the jelly. After all the 
jelly has run through the bag, (which must on no ac- 
count be squeezed,) let it, gradually, become perfectly 
cold before you remove it to a colder place to congeal. 



165 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 



AMERICAN CITRON.— Pare a sufficient number 
of citron-melons, and cut each melon into four thick 
quarters. Weigh them, and put them over-night into a 
tureen, or a large white-ware pan or basin. Prepare 
some very weak brine, allowing a table-spoonful of salt 
to a quart of water, for every pound of citron. Pour the 
salt and water over the citron ; cover it, and let it stand 
all night to draw out the sliminess. Prepare some alum- 
water, allowing to each quart of water a bit of alum about 
the size of a grain of Indian corn. In the morning, drain 
the citron from the brine, and wash every piece sepa- 
rately in the alum-water, which will green and clear it. 
After it has lain half an hour in the alum-water, drain 
the citron, and put it into a porcelain preserving-kettle, 1 
allowing to every four pounds of the citron a large half 
pint of clear fresh water. There must be water enough 
to cover the citron, and keep it from burning. Add to 
every four pounds, the yellow rind of a large lemon, 
grated, or pared off very thin, and cut into shreds. Set 
the kettle over a clear fire, and boil it slowly, till the 
citron is tender enough to be easily pierced through with 
a large needle. If it seems to be boiling dry, add a little 
more cold water. When all are quite tender, take out 
each piece separately with a fork. Spread them out on 
a large dish. Then strain and measure the liquid ; and 
to each pint allow a pound of the best double-refined loaf- 
sugar ; not the sugar that is sold ready-powdered, as 
that is so adulterated with ground starch, that it has little 
or no strength, and sweetmeats made with it are sure to 
spoil, unless four times the usual quantity is put in. 



166 

Having broken up the loaf-sugar, add it to the liquid 
in the preserving-kettle, and let it boil (skimming it well) 
till it becomes a thick, rich, jelly-like syrup. It will most 
probably be boiled sufficiently in about half an hour. Next 
put in the pieces of citron, one at a time, and boil them ten 
minutes, or more, in the syrup, till it has thoroughly pene- 
trated them. Afterwards take out the citron ; spread it 
on a dish to cool; and transfer the syrup to a large 
pitcher. When cold, put the citron into glass jars, and 
pour the syrup over it. Cover the tops with white 
paper, dipped in brandy, and tie closely over each 
another covering of bladder, that has been previously 
soaked in water. The covers of lacquered tin, that be- 
long to glass jars, seldom fit perfectly tight, and are not 
to be trusted without another covering over them. 

This will be found a very fine sweetmeat. To dry it, 
in imitation of foreign citron, select some of the finest 
pieces ; spread them on a dish ; and set them for three 
days in the hot sun, turning each piece several times 
a-day. Then make a hole near the end of each piece ; 
run a twine string through them, and hang them on lines, 
across an open, sunny window. When sufficiently dry, 
put them into tight jars, or boxes, and keep them to use, 
as citron, in cakes or mince-pies. 

Preserved citron may be candied, (after it has lain five 
or six months in the syrup,) by taking out the pieces, 
spreading them on a dish, and boiling the syrup again, 
till it is as thick as possible. It may require some addi- 
tional sugar. Then pour it on the citron ; and when it 
has grown cold, and has dried on the pieces, put them 
into a jar. 

When giving the citron its first boiling, in the lemon- 
peel and water, you may add, to every four pounds of 
citron, half an ounce of root-ginger, (if green and tender, 
it will be better,) or else a few pieces of preserved ginger. 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 167 

To increase the lemon-flavour, rub off, upon some 
lumps of sugar, (before you make the syrup,) the yellow- 
rind of two or three other lemons. 



PRESERVED CITRON-MELONS.— Take some fin© 
citron-melons ; pare, core, and cut them into slices. Then 
weigh them ; and, to every six pounds of melon, allow 
six pounds of the best double-refined loaf-sugar ; and the 
juice and yellow rind (pared off very thin) of four large, 
fresh lemons ; also, half a pound of race-ginger. 

Put the slices of melon into a preserving-kettle, and 
boil them half an hour, or more, till they look quite clear, 
and are so tender that a broom-twig will pierce through 
them. Then drain them ; lay them in a broad pan of 
cold water ; cover them ; and let them stand all night. 
In the morning, tie the race-ginger in a thin muslin 
cloth, and boil it in three pints of clear spring or pump- 
water, till the water is highly flavoured. Then take out 
the bag of ginger. Having broken up the sugar, put it 
into a clean preserving-kettle, and pour the ginger-water 
over it. When the sugar is all melted, set it over the 
fire ; put in the yellow peel of the lemons ; and boil and 
skim it till no more scum rises. Then remove the 
lemon-peel ; put in the sliced citrons, and the juice of 
the lemons ; and boil them in the syrup till all the slices 
are quite transparent, and so soft that a straw will go 
through them ; but do not allow them to break. When 
quite done, put the slices (while still warm) into wide- 
mouthed glass or white-ware jars ; and gently pour on 
the syrup. Lay inside of each jar, upon the top of the 
syrup, a double white tissue-paper, cut exactly to fit the 
surface. Put on the lids of the jars, and paste thick pa- 
per over them. 

This will be found a delicious sweetmeat ; equal to 
any imported from the West Indies, and far less expen- 



168 

sive. We recommend it highly. Citron-melons are 
brought to Philadelphia market in the month of August. 



AN EASY WAY OF PRESERVING PINE-AP- 
PLES. — Take pine-apples, as ripe as you can possibly 
get them ; pare them, and cut themjnto thin, circular 
slices. Weigh them, and to each pound of pine-apple 
allow a pound of the best double-refined loaf-sugar. Place 
a layer of the pine-apple slices in the bottom of a large, 
deep dish, or white-ware pan, and sprinkle it thickly 
with a layer of the sugar, which must first be powdered. 
Then put another layer of the pine-apple, and sugar it 
well ; and so on, till the dish is full ; finishing with a 
layer of sugar on the top. Cover the dish, and let it 
stand all night. In the morning remove the slices of 
pine-apple to a tureen. Pour the syrup into a porcelain 
preserving-kettle, and boil and skim it at least half an 
hour. Do not remove it from the fire, till the scum has 
entirely ceased to rise. Then pour the syrup, hailing 
hot, over the slices of pine-apple in the tureen. Cover 
it, and let it stand till cold. Then transfer the sliced 
pine-apple and the syrup to wide-mouthed glass jars, or 
to large tumblers. Cover them well, pasting down thick 
white paper over the top. 

FINE PINE-APPLE MARMALADE.— Take the 

largest, ripest, and most perfect pine-apples. Pare them, 
and cut out whatever blemishes you may find. Weigh 
each pine-apple, balancing the other scale with an equal 
weight of the best double-refined sugar, finely powdered, 
at home. The white sugar, that is sold ready-powdered, 
is generally so adulterated with finely pulverized starch, 
as to have very little strength or sweetness, and is, there- 
fore, unfit for sweetmeats, as, when made with it, they 
will not keep. Grate the pine-apples on a large dish; 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 169 

using a large, coarse grater, and omitting the hard core 
that goes down the centre of each. Put the grated pine- 
apple and the sugar into a preserving-kettle, mixing 
them thoroughly. Set it over a moderate and very clear 
fire, and boil and skim it well, stirring it after skimming. 
After the scum has ceased to appear, stir the marmalade 
frequently till it is done, which will generally be in an 
hour, or an hour and a half after it has come to a boil. 
But if it is not smooth, clear, and bright, in that time, 
continue the boiling till it is. Put it, warm, into tum- 
blers, or broad-mouthed glass jars. Lay inside the top 
of each, doubled white tissue-paper, cut exactly to fit, 
and press it down lightly with your finger, round the 
edge, so as to cover smoothly the surface of the marma- 
lade. Then paste strong white paper over the top of each 
glass, and set them in a cool, dry place. 

This is a very delicious preparation of pine-apple. 



THE BEST WAY OF PRESERVING PINE- 
APPLES. — Take six large, fine, ripe pine-apples. 
Make them very clean, but do not pare off the rind, or 
cut off the leaves. Put them, whole, into a very large 
and very clean pot or kettle. Fill it up with cold water, 
land boil the pine-apples till they are so tender that you 
'can penetrate them all through with a twig from a broom. 
Then take them out and drain them. When cool enough 
to handle without inconvenience, remove the leaves, and 
pare off the rind. The rind and leaves being left on, while 
boiling, will keep in the flavour of the fruit. Cut the pine- 
apples into round slices, about half an inch thick, extracting 
the core from the centre, so as to leave a round hole in the 
middle of every slice. Weigh them ; and to each pound 
allow a pound of double-refined loaf-sugar, broken up and 
powdered. Cover the bottom of a large dish, or dishes, 
with a layer of the sugar. On this, place a layer of pine 



170 the lady's receipt-book. 

apple slices ; then a layer of sugar ; then one of pine- 
apple ; and so till the pine-apple slices are all covered ; 
finishing with a layer of sugar. Let them stand twenty- 
four hours. Then drain the slices from the syrup, and 
Jay them in wide jars. Put the syrup into a clean pre- 
serving-kettle, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases 
to rise. Then pour it hot upon the pine-apple. While 
still warm, cover the jars closely, and paste paper over 
them. They will be found very fine. 

QJJINCES may be preserved in a similar manner; 
first boiling them whole, with the skin on ; then peeling 
them, and extracting the cores ; then slicing the quinces 
into round, thin pieces, and letting them stand twenty-four 
hours in layers of sugar. Boil the syrup, and pour it 
over the quinces, after they are in the jars. 

Save the parings and cores, and also some of the water 

in which the quinces were boiled. Weigh the boiled 

cores and parings, and to each pound allow a half-pint 

of the quince-water. Set them over the fire, in a clean 

kettle, and boil them, till dissolved as much as possible. 

Then strain them through a linen bag. To each pint 

of juice allow a pound of loaf-sugar, powdered. Having 

washed the kettle, put in the sugar; pour on it the 

quince-liquor ; and boil it till it becomes a jelly. Try it, 

by holding a spoonful in the open air, and, if all is right, 

it will congeal very soon. 

— « — 

FINE ORANGE MARMALADE.— Quarter some 
large, ripe oranges, and remove the rind, the seeds, and 
the strings, or filaments ; taking care, as you do so, to 
save all the juice. Pu. *he pulp and juice into a porce- 
lain sauce-pan, and mix with it an equal quantity of 
strained honey. If not sweet enough, add some pow- 
dered loaf-sugar. Boil them together slowly, stirring it 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 171 

frequently. Try if it is done, by taking out a spoon- 
ful, and placing it in the cold air. If, in cooling, it 
becomes a very thick marmalade, it is sufficiently boiled. 
Put it into wide-mouth glass jars, and cover it closely ; 
first, with a double white tissue-paper, cut exactly to fit 
the surface of the marmalade, and then with thick white 
paper, pasted down, carefully, over the top of the jar. 
A cover of bladder, soaked in water, and put on wet, that 
it may contract in drying, is still better. 



APPLE MARMALADE.— Break up four pounds of 
fine loaf-sugar. Put it into a preserving-kettle, and pour 
on a quart of clear, cold water. When the sugar has 
melted, stir it ; set the kettle over the fire, and let it boil 
for a quarter of an hour after it has come to a boil ; skim- 
ming it well. Have ready some fine, ripe pippin or 
bell-flower apples, pared, cored and sliced. There must 
be apple enough to weigh four pounds, when cut up. 
Put it into the syrup, adding the grated rinds of four 
large lemons. Let it simmer, stirring it well, till the 
apple is all dissolved, and forming a smooth mass. 
Then add the juice of the lemons ; boil it fast ; and con- 
tinue boiling and stirring, till it becomes a very thick 
marmalade. It will generally require simmering an 
hour and a half, and boiling fast half an hour, or more. 
When it is done, put it, warm, into deep white-ware jars ; 
cover it closely, and paste paper over the top, or tie a 
piece of bladder closely ; and put it away in a dry, cool 
place. If you want any for immediate use, put some 
into a handsome mould, and, when cold and firm, turn it 
out on a glass dish ; first dipping the mould in warm 
water. 

FINE ORANGE JELLY.— Take four large calves' 
feet, that have been singed, but not skinned. Boil them 



172 the lady's receipt-book. 

in a gallon of clear, soft water, till the liquid is reduced 
to one quart, and all the meat has dropped from the 
bones. Strain it into a pan, cover it, and let it stand till 
next morning. It should then be a firm cake. Take a 
knife, and carefully remove all the fat from the top of the 
cake, and all the sediment from the bottom, and press 
some clean, soft, blotting-paper (or white paper) upon it, 
to clear it from all remains of greasiness. Then cut the 
cake of jelly into slices, and put it into a preserving-ket- 
tle. Add to it a pound and a half of loaf-sugar, 
broken up, a pint and a half of strained orange-juice, and 
the yellow rinds of four oranges, pared thin, and cut in 
pieces. Beat, slightly, the whites of six eggs, and add 
them to the mixture, with three of their shells, crushed 
small. Set the kettle over a clear fire, and stir till you 
see indications of the scum begin to rise. Then cease 
stirring, immediately, or the jelly will be cloudy. After 
it has come to a boil, simmer it ten minutes. Then take 
it off the fire. Let it stand about five minutes, and then 
pour the whole into a jelly-bag ; place a white pan be- 
neath, for the jelly to drip into. Take care not to 
squeeze the bag, or the clearness of the jelly will be irre- 
coverably destroyed. If it is not clear, on first running 
through, empty the bag, wash it clean, and return the 
jelly to it, and let it drip again. Repeat this, if neces- 
sary, till it is quite bright and transparent. When it has 
congealed, and become firm, put it into a glass bowl, and 
break it up. If you wish it in moulds, put it into them, 
of course, while it is liquid ; but not till it is quite clear. 

It will be clear much sooner, and with certainty, if you 
add two or three blades of isinglass, when it first begins 
to boil. 

The oranges should be ripe, high-coloured, and rolled 
under the hand, to increase the juice. 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 173 

EXCELLENT CURRANT-JELLY.— The currants 
should be quite ripe, but not oi;er-ripe. Having picked 
them from the stems, put the fruit into a large stone jar, 
or pitcher, and tie closely over the top a very thick paper, 
(for instance, sugar-loaf paper, or coarse brown.) Set 
the jar into a kettle of boiling water, the water not quite 
reaching the top of the jar ; and let the currants remain 
over a moderate fire an hour after they have begun to 
boil. Then pour them into a linen bag, and let the juice 
drip into a vessel beneath. Do not squeeze the bag, or 
the jelly will not be clear. When the juice has ceased 
to drip, measure it; and to each quart allow a pound of 
the best double-refined loaf-sugar, broken up. Crush 
the sugar small, by rolling it on a clean paste-board, with 
a rolling-pin. Put the juice {without the sugar) into a 
preserving-kettle, and let it just come to a boil. Then take 
it off; and, while it is very hot, immediately stir into it the 
sugar, a handful at a time, using a wooden spoon to stir 
it with. If the sugar is of the best sort, it will require 
no skimming, and will have no sediment. Therefore, as 
nothing of it will be lost or wasted, it is more economical 
than sugar of inferior quality. Put the jelly immediately 
into tumblers, or white jars, and cover it at once ; first, 
with double white tissue-paper, cut to fit exactly the in- 
side of the top ; and then with writing-paper, cut larger, so 
as to turn downward, round the outside of the top. Paste 
the paper firmly on, and set the jelly away in a dry, cool 
place. Notch the edge of the paper, with scissors. 

White currant-jelly may be made as above. It will be 
a clear, bright, amber colour. 

Raspberry, strawberry, grape, gooseberry, and cran- 
berry-jelly, can be made in this manner. For the goose- 
berry, allow a pourd and a half of sugar to every pint of 
juice ; for the cranberry, a pound and a half, also. 
15* 



174 the lady's receipt-book. 

FINE BLACK CURRANT-JELLY.— Make black 
currant-jelly according to the above receipt ; except that 
when you have stemmed the black currants, and put them 
into the jar, to boil, you must add a little water ; allowing 
a small half-pint of water to each quart of the stemmed 
currants. The juice of black currants is so very thick, 
that, if undiluted, the jelly would be tough and ropy. 



FOUR FRUIT JELLY.— Take equal quantities of 
ripe strawberries, raspberries, currants, and red cherries. 
All should be fully ripe, and the cherries must be stoned, 
taking care to save the juice that comes from them in 
stoning. Add it, afterwards, to the rest. Mix the fruit 
together, and put it in a linen bag. Squeeze it well into 
a tureen placed beneath. When it has ceased to drip, 
measure the juice ; and to every pint, allow a pound and 
two ounces of the best double-refined loaf-sugar, finely 
powdered. Mix together the juice and the sugar. Put 
them into a porcelain preserving-kettle ; set it over the 
fire, and let it boil half an hour — skimming it frequently. 
Try the jelly by dipping out a spoonful, and holding it in 
the open air. If it congeals readily, it is sufficiently 
done. Put the jelly warm into tumblers or other wide- 
topped glasses. Cover it with double-tissue paper, which 
must be white, and cut exactly to fit the surface of the 
jelly. Lay it nicely and smoothly inside the top of the 
glass, pressing it down with your fingers all round the 
edge. Then paste white paper over the top, and a little 
way down the sides of the glass, notching it round with 
scissors to make it fit the better. 

Set away the jelly in a cool dry closet. 



BARBERRY JAM.— Take barberries that a^e per- 
fectly ripe. Pick them from the stems ; and to each 
quart of berries, allow three-quarters of a pound of clean 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 175 

rich brown sugar. Mash the barberries, and put them 
with all their juice into a preserving-kettle, mixing with 
them the sugar, and stirring it well in. Boil and skim 
till the scum ceases to rise, and the jam has become a 
thick mass, which it will not be in less than an hour 
Put it warm into stone or glass jars. Cover them imme- 
diately and paste down paper over their tops. It is a 
cheap and good sweetmeat for family use, either on the 
tea-table or in tarts. 

Barberries in bunches may be put loosely into jars, and 
sufficient cold molasses poured in to fill up the vessels, 
which must be kept tightly covered. Frost grapes, also, 
can be kept in this homely manner. 

DAMSON JAM.— Fill a stone jar with fine ripe dam- 
sons that have been washed in cold water but not dried. 
Cover it, set it in an open kettle with water which must 
not quite reach the neck of the jar, and place it over a 
hot fire. Let the water boil round the jar, till the stones 
of the damsons are all loose, and falling out from the 
pulp. Then transfer the damsons and their juice, to a 
broad pan, and carefully pick out all the stones. Next 
mash the pulp with a broad flat wooden ladle, or with a 
potatoe-masher, till it is all smooth and of an even con- 
sistence throughout. Then measure it; and to every 
quart of the pulp allow a pound and a half, or three large 
closely-packed pints of the best brown sugar. Stir the 
sugar and pulp well together, till it becomes a thick jam. 
Put the jam into a clean preserving-kettle, and boil it 
slowly an hour or more, skimming it well. When done, 
put it into broad flat stone jars, pressing it down, and 
smoothing the surface with the back of a large spoon. 
Cover the jars closely, and put them away in a cool dry 
place. If more convenient, j^ou can put the jam inte 
tumblers, pasting thick white paper closely over each. 



176 THE LADY ? S RECEIPT-BOOK. 

If properly made it will be so firm that you may cut it 
down in slices like cheese. 

Plum jam may be made as above ; but damsons are 
better for this purpose, and also for jelly, as the juice is 
much thicker and richer than that of plums. 

It is an old-fashioned error to use unripe fruit for any 
sort of sweet-meat. When the fruit is thoroughly ripe 
it has more flavour, is far more wholesome, and keeps 
better. 

AN EXCELLENT WAY OF PRESERVING 
STRAWBERRIES.— Select the largest and finest straw- 
berries. Having hulled them, or removed the green tops, 
weigh the strawberries ; and allow to each pound a pound 
of the best double-refined loaf-sugar, finely powdered. 
Divide the sugar into two equal portions. Put a layer 
of strawberries into the bottom of a preserving-kettle, and 
cover them with a layer of sugar ; then a layer of straw- 
berries ; then a layer of sugar ; until half the sugar is in. 
Next set the kettle over a moderate fire, and let it boil 
slowly, till all the sugar is melted. Then put in, gra- 
dually, the remainder of the sugar; and after it is all in, 
let it boil hard for five minutes, taking off the scum with 
a silver spoon ; but there will be little or no scum if the 
sugar is of the very best quality. Afterwards remove 
the kettle from the fire, and take out the strawberries, one 
at a time, in a tea-spoon. Spread out the strawberries on 
large flat dishes, so as not to touch each other, and set 
them immediately in a cold place or on ice. Hang the 
kettle again on the fire and give the syrup one boil up ; 
skimming it, if necessary. Place a fine strainer over the 
top of a mug or pitcher, and pour the syrup through it. 
Then put the strawberries into glass jars or tumblers ; 
pour into each an equal portion of the syrup. Lay 
at the top a round piece of white paper dipped in 



177 

brandy. Close the jars tightly, and paste paper over 
them. 

Raspberries may be preserved as above. Also large 
ripe gooseberries. To each pound of gooseberries allow 
a pound and a half of sugar. 

VERY FINE PRESERVED PEACHES.— Take 
fine ripe free-stone peaches ; pare them ; cut them in 
half and remove the stones. Have ready a sufficiency 
of the best double-refined loaf-sugar, finely powdered. 
Weigh the sugar and the peaches together, putting the 
sugar into one scale and the peaches into the other, and 
balancing them evenly. Put the peaches into a large 
pan or tureen, and strew among them one-half of the 
sugar. Cover them, and let them stand in a cool place 
till next morning. Then take all the juice from them, 
and put it into a porcelain preserving-kettle with the re- 
mainder of the sugar. Set it over a moderate fire, and 
boil and skim it. When it is boiling well, and the scum 
has ceased to rise, put in the peaches and boil them till 
they are perfectly clear, but not till they break ; carefully 
skimming them. Boil with them a handful of fresh 
clean peach-leaves tied in a bunch. When quite clear 
take the peaches out of the syrup, and put them on a flat 
sloping dish to drain into a deep dish placed below it. 
Take this syrup that has drained from the peaches, put 
it to the syrup in the kettle, and give it one more boil up. 
Then throw away the leaves. Lay the peaches flat in 
small glass jars. Pour an equal portion of the hot syrup 
into each jar, and put on the top a table-spoonful of the 
best white brandy. Cork the jars, and paste down paper 
closely over the mouth of each. 



COMMON PEACH JAM.— Take good ripe free- 
stone peaches, pare them, and cut them into small pieces, 



178 

seeing that none are blemished in the least. Cover 
the bottom of a stone jar with a thick layer of pow- 
dered sugar, (very good brown sugar will do when 
strict economy is expedient,) then put in a layer of the 
cut peaches, (without any cooking ;) then another of 
sugar; then one of peaches, and so on till the jar is 
filled ; packing the contents down as closely as possible. 
The top layer must be of sugar, spread on thickly. 
Cover the jar immediately, and paste paper down closely- 
over the cover. This jam will be found very good for 
children ; and for family use when fresh peaches are not 
to be had. It may be put into plain pies, or spread over 
the paste of a rolled-up pudding. If the peaches are free 
from decay-spots, and the sugar in sufficient abundance, 
the jam will keep many months ; always excluding the 
air from the jar. 



TO PRESERVE GREEN GAGES.— Take gages 
that are perfectly ripe. Weigh them ; and to each 
pound of fruit allow a pound of the best double-refined 
loaf-sugar, broken up. Put a layer of grape-leaves in 
the bottom and round the sides of your preserving kettle. 
Then put in the gages, interspersing them thickly with 
vine-leaves, and covering them with a thick layer. Pour 
in just enough of water to keep them from burning. Set 
the kettle over the fire, cover it, and let it simmer slowly 
till the gages are well greened. Then take them out, 
and spread them on a large dish to cool. Afterwards 
prick them in several places with a needle. Having 
washed the kettle clean, put the sugar into it with a very 
little water, — about half a pint to each pound of sugar. 
Set it over the fire, and boil and skim it till no more scum 
rises. Then put in the gages, and boil them half an hour. 
When done, and cold, put them into glass jars, and pour 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 179 

the syrup over them. Paste paper closely down over 

the lids of the jars. 

■ — ♦ — 

FINE BRANDY PEACHES.— Take large ripe 
free-stone peaches : the white ones are best for this pur- 
pose. Having rubbed off the wool with a clean flannel, 
put the peaches whole into boiling water, just to scald, 
but not to boil them. Having remained in about five 
minutes, take them out, and put them into cold water 
for an hour or more. After which, drain them in a sieve, 
and wipe them dry. While the peaches are cooling, 
prepare a syrup for them ; allowing two pounds of the 
best double-refined loaf-sugar, and the white of two eggs, 
and a pint of water, to two dozen large peaches. Having 
broken up the sugar, put it into a preserving kettle. Beat 
the white of egg to a stiff froth, and stir it into the water. 
Then pour the water on the sugar, and let it dissolve 
before you set the kettle over the fire ; stirring it several 
times. Boil and skim it well. When it is nearly up to 
the top, throw in a small tea-cup of cold water. When 
it rises again, take it off the fire, and let it stand close to 
it for a quarter of an hour ; then skim it well, and pour 
it carefully into a pitcher, taking care not to disturb 
any sediment that may remain at the bottom of the 
preserving kettle. Put the peaches into wide-mouthed 
glass jars, and pour into every jar an equal portion of 
the syrup. Then fill up the jars with the best white 
brandy. Cork them tightly, and paste paper closely 
over the tops; or tie on each a piece of bladder, that 
has first been soaked to make it contract and fit the 
closer when dry. 



EXCELLENT BRANDY PEACHES.— Take fine 
large free-stone peaches, quite ripe, but not too soft. Put 
them into a pan containing a weak solution of sal-eratus 



180 the lady's receipt-book. 

and water ; and Jet them lie in it till you find, upon trial, 
that the wool can be easily rubbed off with a coarse clean 
towel. Weigh them; and to each pound of peaches 
allow a pound of broken-up loaf-sugar, — the best double- 
refined. Then crush the sugar by rolling it with a roll- 
ing-pin. Have ready some large glass jars, with lac- 
quered tin covers. Put a layer of sugar into the bottom 
of each jar ; then a layer of peaches ; then sugar ; then 
peaches ; and so on till the jar is very nearly full, — rthe 
upper layer being of sugar. Then pour in some of the 
best white brandy till the jars are filled quite to the top. 
Cover them closely, and set them into a large flat-bottomed , 
kettle of cold water. The water must be a little below 
the tops of the jars. Place the kettle over a moderate i 
fire, and keep the peach-jars boiling in it half an hour 
after they have come to a boil. Then set them away in i 
your sweetmeat closet. 

As the lids of glass jars seldom fit tightly, put be- 
neath each lid a round of thick, soft white paper, and I 
cover the top of the outside with a piece of bladder tied I 
down. 



BRANDY PEARS may be done as above. It is j 
customary to leave the stems on. Rub off, upon some 
lumps of the sugar before crushing it, the yellow rind of j 
several fre"sh lemons, and squeeze the lemon-juice among; 
the crushed sugar. Allow the rind and juice of one large; 
lemon to a small jar of pears. In whatever way pears- 
are cooked, they should always be flavoured with lemon;: 
otherwise they will be insipidly sweet. 

To colour ihem a fine red, tie up a little cochineal, on 
some well-picked alkanet, in a very thin muslin or bobbi- 
net bag, and boil it with the pears. When done, take 
out the bag. 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 181 

BRANDY PEACHES THE FRENCH WAY— 

Put large white peaches (a few at a time) into scalding lye. 
Let them rest for a minute or two, till the skin loosens so that 
it can be easily peeled off. Next put the peaches into cold 
water, and let them remain till you have hot water ready 
to scald them. After scalding, put into a large, broad 
preserving kettle as many peaches as will lie side by 
side in the bottom. Pour on as much cold water as will 
rather more than cover them ; set the kettle over a clear 
fire ; and Jet them boil till they are soft enough to be 
easily dented when pressed by your finger. Take them 
out ; place them with the stem end downward, on an in- 
verted sieve set on a large dish. Then put some more 
peaches into the kettle ; add more cold water ; boil them ; 
and put them to drain afterwards. Repeat thi till all 
your peaches have had a boil. Spread them on large 
dishes, and let them stand all night in a cold place. Mix 
together some of the best white brandy and the best loaf- 
sugar, powdered fine, — allowing a pound of sugar to 
every pint of brandy. Stir it well while the sugar is 
dissolving ; and when melted, set it also in a cold place, 
and let it stand all night. In the morning, put the 
peaches into glass jars, which should be all of the same 
size, and fill them up with the brandy syrup ; allowing 
an equal portion to each jar. Cover the jars closely, and 
paste white paper over their tops. 

BRANDY GREEN GAGES.— Take the largest and 
finest green gages, quite ripe. Prick every one with a 
needle in several places. Spread fresh grape-leaves over 
the bottom, and round the sides of a preserving kettle. 
Put in a layer of green gages and a layer of grape-vine 
leaves, alternately, adding to each layer a bit of alum but 
little larger than a grain of Indian corn. Cover the last 
layer of fruit thickly with vine-leaves ; fill up the kettle 
16 



182 the lady's receipt-book. 

with cold water, and place it over a moderate fire. Sim- 
mer the fruit slowly, but do not let it break. When the 
gages are hot all through, take them out, and throw them 
into cold water. Afterwards weigh them ; and to every 
pound of fruit, allow a pound of the best double-refined 
loaf-sugar, powdered. Remove the vine-leaves from the 
preserving-kettle, and put into it the sugar, with barely 
sufficient water to keep it from burning. Stir the sugar 
well with the water till it is dissolved, adding to every 
three pounds the beaten white of an egg. Place the 
kettle over the fire, and boil and skim till very clear, and 
the scum ceases to rise. Then take it off, measure it, 
and to every pint of syrup allow a large half-pint of the 
best and clearest brandy. Mix the syrup and brandy 
together. Having well drained the green gages from the 
cold water, put them (two-thirds full) into glass jars. Fill 
the jars up to the top with the liquor, poured on warm. 
Cover them closely, pasting paper over the lids, and set 
them in a dry, cool closet. 

If the gages are not green enough with the first sim- 
mering, get fresh vine-leaves, and simmer them again 
very slowly, hanging the kettle high. 

Instead of vine-leaves, you may green any preserves 
by boiling them with layers of the green husks that sur- 
round the ears of young indian corn. 



BRANDY GRAPES.—For this purpose the grapes 
should be in large close bunches, and quite ripe. Remove 
every grape that is the least shrivelled, or in any way 
defective. With a needle prick each grape in three 
places. Have ready a sufficiency of double-refined loaf- 
sugar, powdered and sifted. Put some of the sugar into 
the bottom of your jars. Then put in a bunch of grapes, 
and cover it thickly with sugar. Then another bunch ; 
then more sugar, and so on till the jar is nearly full; 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 183 

finishing with a layer of sugar. Then fill up to the top 
with the best white brandy. Cover the jars as closely as 
possible, and set them away. They must not go over 
the fire. The grapes should be of the best quality, either 
white or purple. 



ICED GRAPES.— Take large close bunches of fine 
ripe thin-skinned grapes, and remove any that are im- 
perfect. Tie a string in a loop to the top of the stem. 
Strain into a deep dish a sufficient quantity of white of 
egg. Dip the bunches of grapes into it, immersing them 
thoroughly. Then drain them, and roll them about in a 
flat dish of finely-powdered loaf-sugar till they are com- 
pletely coated with it, using your fingers to spread the 
sugar into the hollows between the grapes. Hang up 
the bunches by the strings till the icing is entirely dry. 
They should be dried in a warm place. Send them to 
the supper-table at a party, on glass dishes. 

Ripe currants may be iced as above. Raspberries, 
strawberries, ripe gooseberries, plums and cherries, may 
be thus dipped m white of egg, and rolled in sugar. 



AMERICAN PRUNES.— Take the largest and 
finest purple plums, (oval or long-shaped if you can get 
them.) They must be quite ripe. Spread them sepa- 
rately on flat dishes, and set them in a large oven, 
directly after the bread, pies, &c, have been taken out. 
Let the plums stay in till the oven is cool ; taking them 
out and turning them over two or three times. If you 
bake every day, put in the plums as before, till they are 
sufficiently dry. Otherwise ; set the dishes in a balcony, 
or on the roof of an out-house, or in some place where 
they will be exposed to the hot sun. It will be well to 



184 the lady's receipt-book. 

cover them with thin gauze, to keep off wasps, flies, &c. 
Continue to set them every day in the sun till they are 
well dried, and look like prunes. Then pack them 
down in jars or hoxes ; laying orange or lemon-leaves 
among them. 



TO STEW DRIED PEACHES. —Dried peaches 
can be used for no purpose without first being thoroughly 
stewed. They should be soaked for some hours before 
cooking. Take a sufficient quantity, and put them over 
night into a pan, (having first picked out all that are 
defective,) and wash them well through two cold waters. 
Drain them, lay them in a clean pan, and fill it up with 
scalding water. Cover them closely, and let them stand 
all night. In the morning pour off the water, leaving 
just enough of it about the peaches to keep them from 
burning when stewed, and transfer them to a clean 
earthen pipkin or a sauce-pan. Set them over a mode- 
rate fire, or on a bed of hot coals, (renewing the live coals 
when necessary,) and let them stew till thoroughly done, 
and quite soft, so that every piece can be mashed to a 
jam. While stewing, stir them up frequently from the 
bottom, mashing them with the back of the spoon against 
the sides of the pipkin. Keep them well covered, except 
when you are stirring. When quite done, transfer them 
to a deep dish, and mix with them, while they are 
smoking hot, a large portion of brown sugar, so as to 
make them very sweet. Set them away to cool. They 
will then be ready to use for pies, puddings, or as sauce 
to roast meat. 



DRIED APPLES should be soaked and stewed as 
above. They will be much improved by stewing with 



SWEETMEATS, ETC. 185 

them some thin slips of the yellow rind of lemon or 
orange ; or by the addition of a few cloves. 

Sugar should always be added after the fruit is done 
stewing, and while still hot. If put in at first, it renders 
the fruit hard and tough ; besides that much of the sweet- 
ness is wasted in evaporation. 



16* 



186 



BEEAKFAST AND TEA CAKES. 

INDIANA BATTER CAKES.— Sift into a pan 
three large pints of yellow corn-meal ; and add a large 
table-spoonful of fresh lard ; or of nice drippings of roast 
beef, well cleared from fat. Add a small tea-spoonful of 
sal-eratus, or a large one of soda, dissolved in a little 
warm water. Next make the whole into a soft dough, 
with a pint of cold water. Afterwards thin it to the con- 
sistence of a moderate batter, by adding, gradually, not 
quite a pint and a half of warm water. When it is all 
mixed, continue to stir it well for half an hour. Have 
ready a griddle heated over the fire, and bake the batter 
in the manner of buckwheat-cakes ; send them to table 
hot, and eat them with butter or molasses. 

These cakes are very light and good, and convenient 
to make ; as they require neither eggs, milk, nor yeast. 
They may either be baked as soon as mixed, or they 
may stand for an hour or more. 



KENTUCKY BATTER CAKES.— Sift a quart of 
yellow indian meal into a large pan ; mix with it two 
large table-spoonfuls of wheat flour, and a salt-spoonful 
of salt. Warm a pint and a half of rich milk in a small 
sauce-pan, but do not let it come to a boil. When it 
begins to simmer, take it off the fire, and put into it two 
pieces of fresh butter, each about the size of a hen's egg. 
Stir the butter into the warm milk till it melts, and is well 
mixed. Then stir in the meal, gradually, and set the 
mixture to cool. Beat four eggs, very light, and add 
them, by degrees, to the mixture, stirring the whole very 
hard. If you find it too thin, add a little more corn-meal. 



BREAKFAST AND TEA CAKES. 187 

Have ready a griddle heated over the fire, and bake the 
batter on it, in the manner of buckwheat-cakes. Send 
them to table hot, and eat them with butter, to which you 
may add molasses or honey. 



RYE BATTER-CAKES.— Beat two eggs very light. 
Mix them, gradually, with a quart of lukewarm milk, 
and sufficient rye-meal to make a batter about as thick 
as for buckwheat-cakes. Then stir in a large table 
spoonful of the best brewer's yeast ; or twice that quan- 
tity, if the yeast is home-made. Cover it, and set it to 
rise in a warm place. If too thin, add more rye-meal. 
When quite light, and covered on the surface with bub- 
bles, bake it on a griddle, in the manner of buckwheat 
cakes. Butter them, and eat them warm, at breakfast or 
tea. 

If you cannot obtain good yeast, and wish to have the 
cakes ready with as much expedition as possible, you. 
may use patent yeast-powders, according to the direc- 
tions that accompany them. In this case, the cakes 
must be baked in half an hour after the powders are 
mixed into the batter. 

Yeast-powders, put in at the last, are an improvement 
to all sorts of batter-cakes that have been previously 
raised with good real yeast ; also to cakes made light by 
eggs. But to depend entirely on the powders, without 
either real yeast, or eggs, is not well ; as the cakes, 
though eatable, are generally too tough and leathery to 
be wholesome. In cities, fresh yeast, from the brewers, 
can be obtained every day, at a very trifling cost, during 
the brewing season ; which is usually from October till 
April. At other seasons, it can be procured from the 
bakers, or made at home ; and should always be used 
in preference to depending solely on yeast-powders. 
Though they improve the lightness of batter, for which 



188 

real yeast or beaten eggs have already been used, they 
will not, of themselves alone, give it a wholesome degree 
of either lightness or crispness. Too much dependence 
on yeast-powders is one reason that the buckwheat-cakes 
of the present day are so inferior to those of former times, 
when they were always made with real yeast. 
Indian batter-cakes may be made as above. 



HARLEM CAKES.— Sift into a pan three pints of 
flour. Warm, in a sauce-pan, a pint of milk, and cut up 
in it half a pound of fresh butter. When the butter is 
soft enough to mix with the milk, stir them well together, 
and remove the sauce-pan from the fire. Beat three 
eggs, very light, and mix them with the milk and butter, 
after they have cooled. Then make a hole in the mid* 
die of the flour, and pour in the mixture, and two large 
table-spoonfuls of strong fresh yeast. With a spoon, mix 
the flour into the liquid, till the whole is thoroughly in- 
corporated. Then cover the pan with a thick woollen 
cloth, and set it near the fire, to rise. It should be light 
in about five hours; perhaps sooner. When quite light, 
mix in a tea-spoonful of soda, dissolved in a very little 
warm water ; divide the dough into long oval cakes, or 
rolls ; knead each separately. Sprinkle an iron baking- 
pan with flour ; put in the cakes ; cover the pan, and let 
it stand half an hour before baking. Bake the cakes in 
a moderate oven. Eat them fresh, with butter. They 
are excellent tea cakes. Of course, they must be mixed 
in the forenoon. 



BREAD MUFFINS.— Take four thick slices of ba- 
ker's bread, and cut off all the crust. Lay them in a 
pan, and pour boiling water over them ; but barely enough 
to soak them well. Cover the bread, and after it has 
stood an hour, drain off the water, and stir the soaked 



BREAKFAST AND TEA CAKES. 189 

bread till it is a smooth mass ; then mix in two table- 
spoonfuls of sifted flour, and a half-pint of milk. Having 
beaten two eggs very light, stir them, gradually, into the 
mixture. Grease some muffin-rings ; set them on a hot 
griddle, and pour into each a portion of the mixture. 
Bake them brown; send them to table hot; pull them 
open with your fingers, and spread on butter. They 
will be found an excellent sort of muffin ; very light and 
nice. 

SWEET POTATOE PONE.— Stir together, till very 
light and white, three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, 
and three quarters of a pound of powdered white sugar, 
adding two table-spoonfuls of ginger. Grate a pound 
and a half of sweet potatoe. Beat eight eggs, very light, 
and stir them, gradually, into the butter and sugar, in 
turn with the grated sweet potatoe. Dissolve a tea- 
spoonful of sal-eratus or soda, in a gill of sour milk, and 
stir it in at the last, beating the whole very hard. Butter 
the inside of a tin pan. Put in the mixture, and bake it 
four hours, or more. It should be eaten fresh. 

RICE BREAD.— To a pint of well-boiled rice, add 
half a pint of wheat-flour, mixing them well together. 
Take six eggs, and beat the whites and yolks separately. 
Having beaten the whites to a stiff froth, mix them, gra- 
dually, with a pint of rich milk, and two large table- 
spoonfuls of fresh butter, softened at the fire. Mix, by 
degrees, the yolks of the eggs with the rice and flour. 
Then add the white-of-egg mixture, a little at a time. 
Stir the whole very hard. Put it into a buttered tin pan, 
with straight or upright sides. Set it in a moderate oven, 
and bake it an hour or more. Then turn it out of the 
pan, put it on a dish, and send it warm to the breakfast- 
table, and eat it wMi butter. 



190 the lady's receipt-book. 

This cake may be baked, by setting the pan that con- 
tains it, into an iron dutch-oven, placed over hot coals. 
Heai the lid of the oven on the inside, by standing it up, 
Defore the fire, while the rice-bread is preparing, and, 
after you put it on, keep the lid covered with hot coals. 

Rice-bread may be made of ground rice-flour, instead 
of whole rice. 



RICE-FLOUR BREAD.— Sift into a pan a pint and 
a half of rice-flour, and a pint and a half of fine wheat- 
flour. Add two large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter, or 
lard ; and mix in a pint and a half of milk. Beat four 
eggs, very light, and then stir them, gradually, into the 
mixture. When the whole has been well-mixed, add, at 
the last, a small tea-spoonful of soda, or sal-eratus, dis- 
solved in as much warm water as will cover it. Put the 
whole into a buttered tin pan ; set it, immediately, into a 
quick oven, and bake it well. It is best when eaten 
fresh. Slice and butter it. 



RICE-FLOUR BATTER-CAKES.— Melt a quarter 
of a pound of fresh butter, or lard, in a quart of milk ; but 
be careful not to let it begin to boil. Divide the milk 
equally, by putting it into two pans. Beat three eggs, 
very light, and stir them into one half of the milk, with 
the addition of a large table-spoonful of wheat-flour. Stir 
in as much ground rice-flour as will make a thick batter. 
Then put in a small tea-cupful of strong, fresh yeast, and 
ihin the batter with the remainder of the milk. Cover it, 
and set it to rise. When it has risen high, and is covered 
with bubbles, bake it on a griddle, in the manner of buck- 
wheat-cakes. Send them to table hot, and butter them. 

Similar cakes may be made with indian-meal, instead 
of rice-flour. 



BREAKFAST AND TEA CAKES. 191 

LONG ROLLS.— Sift three quarts of flour into a large 
pan, and mix with it a tea-spoonful of salt. Warm half 
a pint of water, but do not let it become hot. Mix with 
it six table-spoonfuls of strong, fresh yeast. Make a 
deep hole in the middle of the pan of flour. Pour ia 
the liquid, and, with a spoon, work into it the flour, round 
the edge of the hole ; proceeding gradually till you have 
all the flour mixed in, so as to form a batter. Stir it well, 
for two or three minutes. Then strew the top all over 
with a handful of dry flour. Cover the dough with a 
thick, double cloth, and set it in a warm place, to rise. 
When it is quite light, and the surface cracked all over, 
mix in three table-spoonfuls (not more) of lard, or fresh 
butter. Knead it long and hard, and make it into long, 
oval-shaped rolls, making, with a knife, a cleft in the top 
of each. Sprinkle some square baking-pans with flour ; 
lay the rolls in them, at equal distances ; cover them, as 
before ; and set them in a warm place, for half an hour. 
In the meantime, have the oven ready ; put in the rolls, 
and bake them brown. 

Their lightness may be improved by mixing in (while 
kneading the dough, previous to forming it into cakes) 
a heaping tea-spoonful of soda, or sal-eratus, dissolved 
in as much warm water as will cover it. 

In cold weather, you may mix these rolls with milk, 
instead of water ; but in summer the milk may turn sour, 
and spoil the dough. This, however, may be corrected, 
by adding the soda, or sal-eratus ; always a good remedy 
for sour dousfh or batter. 



POTATOE ROLLS.— Take fine large potatoes. Boil, 
peel, and mash them. Then rub the mashed potatoe 
through a sieve. To each potatoe allow a pint of sifted 
flour ; a table-spoonful of strong fresh yeast ; a jiil of 
milk- warm water; a salt-spoon of salt ; the yolk of an egg; 



192 the lady's receipt-book. 

and a bit of fresh butter about the size of a large hickory- 
nut. Mix together in a large broad pan the flour, the 
mashed potatoe, and the salt. Make a hole in the centre 
of the mixture, and pour into it the yeast mixed with the 
warm water. Sprinkle a little flour over the top, and 
mix in a little from round the sides of the hole. Cover 
it with a clean towel, and over that a flannel, and set it 
near the fire to rise. When the dough is quite light, and 
cracked all over the surface, knead in the butter and also 
the yolks of eggs, having previously beaten them well, 
and add a small tea-spoonful of soda dissolved in a little 
warm water. Then divide the dough into equal parts, 
make it into long-shaped rolls, and lay them in a tin or 
iron pan sprinkled with flour. Cover them, and again 
set them to rise in a warm place. When perfectly light, 
(which should be in about an hour,) set the pan into 
the oven, and bake the rolls brown. They are best when 
quite fresh. Pull them open with your fingers, and eat 
them with butter. 



193 



CAKES, ETC. 



TO BEAT EGGS.— In making cakes it is of the 
utmost importance that the eggs should he properly and 
sufficiently beaten ; otherwise the cakes will most cer- 
tainly be deficient in the peculiar lightness characterizing 
those that are made by good confectioners. Home-made 
cakes, if good in other respects, are too frequently (even 
when not absolutely heavy or streaked) hard, solid and 
tough. This often proceeds from too large a portion of 
flour, and too small an allowance of butter and eggs. The 
richest cake that can be made (provided it is light and 
well baked) is less unwholesome than what are called 
plain cakes, if they are solid or leathery. Cakes cannot 
be crisp and light without a due proportion of the articles 
that are to make them so ; and even then, the ingredients 
must be thoroughly stirred or beaten ; and of course 
thoroughly baked afterwards. 

1 Persons who do not know the right way, complain 
much of the fatigue of beating eggs, and therefore leave 
off too soon. There will be no fatigue, if they are beaten 
with the proper stroke, and with wooden rods, and in a 
shallow, flat-bottomed earthen pan. The coldness of a 
tin pan retards the lightness of the eggs. For the same 
reason do not use a metal egg-beater. In beating them 
do not move your elbow, but keep it close to your side. 
Move only your hand at the wrist, and let the stroke be 
quick, short, and horizontal ; putting the egg-beater al- 
ways down to the bottom of the pan, which should there- 
fore be shallow. Do not leave off as soon as you have 
got the eggs into a foam ; they are then only beginning 
to be light. But persist till after the foaming has ceased, 
17 



194 

and the bubbles have all disappeared. Continue till the 
surface is smooth as a mirror, and the beaten egg as thick 
as a rich boiled custard ; for till then it will not be really- 
light. It is seldom necessary to beat the whites and yolks 
separately, if they are afterwards to be put together. 
The article will be quite as light, when cooked, if the 
whites and yolks are beaten together, and there will then 
be no danger of their going in streaks when baked. The 
justly-celebrated Mrs. Goodfellow, of Philadelphia, al- 
ways taught her pupils to beat the whites and yolks 
together, even for sponge-cake ; and lighter than hers no 
sponge-cake could possibly be. 

When white of egg is to be used without any yolk, 
(as for lady-cake, maccaroons, meringues, icing, &c.,) it 
should be beaten till it stands alone on the rods ; not fall- 
ing when held up. 

Hickory rods for egg-beating are to be had at the 
wooden-ware shops, or at the turner's. For stirring but- 
ter and sugar together, nothing is equal to a wooden 
spaddle. It should be about a foot long, and flattened at 
the end like that of a mush-stick, only broader. Spoons 
are very tedious and inconvenient either for beating eggs 
or stirring butter and sugar, and do not produce the pro- 
per lightness. 

— ♦ — 

BOSTON CAKE.— Put a pound of powdered white 
sugar into a deep pan, and cut up in it a pound of fresh 
"butter. Stir the butter and sugar together till perfectly 
light. Then add a powdered nutmeg, a table-spoonful 
of powdered mace and cinnamon mixed together, and a 
large wine-glass of excellent brandy. If the brandy is 
of bad quality it will give the cake a disagreeable taste. 
If very good, it will highly improve the flavour, and also 
add to the lightness of the cake. Sift into a pan a pound 
of flour. In another pan beat six eggs till very thick and 



195 

smooth. Stir them gradually into the butter and sugar, 
alternately with the flour, and a pint of rich milk or 
cream, a little of each at a time. Have ready a level 
tea-spoonful (not heaped) of pearlash, or sal-eratus, (or a 
full tea-spoonful of bi-carbonate of soda,) dissolved in as 
much warm water as will cover it. Add this at the last, 
and then give the whole a very hard stirring. Butter a 
large square pan. Put in the mixture. Set it imme- 
diately into the oven, and bake it thoroughly. It requires 
very long baking. A thick square Boston cake will 
scarcely be done in less than three hours. At the end 
of the first hour, increase the heat of the oven, and also 
at the second. When cool, sift powdered sugar over it, 
and cut it into squares. 

If properly made, and well-baked, (following exactly 
the above directions,) this cake will be found excellent, 
and will seem fresh longer than any other; the milk keep- 
ing it soft. 

Milk turned sour is very good for Boston cake ; as by 
stirring the dissolved pearlash or soda into the milk, the 
acidity will be entirely removed, and the alkali ren- 
dered more effective in increasing the lightness of the 
cake. Still great care will be necessary in baking it. 

The best confectioners make this cake every day with- 
out any failure. 

ALBANY CAKE. — Sift three pounds of flour into a 
pan. Stir together a pound of fresh butter, and a pound 
of brown sugar. Mix together a pint of West India mo- 
lasses, and half a pint of rich milk. Have ready a pound 
and a half of raisins, seeded, cut in two, and well dredged 
with flour to prevent their sinking. Beat five eggs very 
light, and mix them gradually with the milk and molasses, 
adding a glass of brandy, and a table-spoonful of cinnamon 
powdered. Add the mixture gradually to the beaten. 



195 

butter and sugar, alternately with the flour, a little at a 
time of each. Next stir in a small teacup-full of strong 
fresh yeast. Then sprinkle in the raisins. Lastly, stir 
in a very small tea-spoonful of bi-carbonate of soda, or a 
still smaller portion of sal-eratus, dissolved in as much 
lukewarm water as will cover it. Stir the whole mixture 
long and hard. Cover it, and set it in a warm place to 
rise. When quite light, butter a deep tin pan, put in the 
mixture, and bake it in a loaf. It will require very long 
and steady baking. 

Like all others that have yeast in them, this cake is best 
when fresh. 



AUSTRIAN CAKE.— Take a thick straight-sided 
pound cake about the circumference of a large dinner- 
plate, and cut it horizontally into slices, the whole breadth 
of the cake, and rather more than half an inch thick* 
Spread each slice, thickly and smoothly, with marmalade 
of peach, raspberry, strawberry, or orange. The mar- 
malade may be all the same, or of a different sort on each 
slice. Lay the slices, nicely, and evenly, one upon an- 
other, taking care that none of the marmalade oozes down 
from between the edges. Then make a thick icing of 
wmite of egg and powdered loaf-sugar, and flavour it with 
rose or orange-flower water. Heap a large portion of it 
on the centre of the cake, and with a broad knife (dipped 
frequently in cold water) spread it smoothly all over the 
top and sides. Then set it away to harden. You may 
ornament it by putting icing into a small syringe and 
pressing it out into the form of a centre-piece and border 
of flowers. To do this requires practice, taste, and in- 
genuity. 

When the cake is to be eaten, cut it down into trian- 
gular pieces ; each including a portion of the different 
layers of marmalade. 



CAKES, ETC. 197 

Instead of marmalade you may use for this cake, fresh 
strawberries, mashed smoothly and sweetened with white 



MADISON CAKE.— Pick clean two pounds of sul- 
tana raisins, (those that have no seeds,) and cut them in 
half. If you cannot procure the sultana, use the bloom 
or muscatel raisins, removing all the seeds. When the 
raisins are cut in two, dredge them thickly on all sides 
with flour, to prevent their sinking or clodding in the 
cake while baking. Sift into a pan a pound and three 
quarters (not more) of flour. Cut up a pound of fresh 
butter into a deep pan. Mix with it a pound of white 
lump-sugar finely powdered ; and stir them together till 
they become a thick, white, cream. Have ready a tea- 
spoonful of powdered nutmeg, and a table-spoonful of 
powdered cinnamon, and mix these spices, gradually, with 
the butter and sugar. Beat fourteen eggs (not fewer) 
till very light and thick. Then stir them, gradually, into 
the beaten butter and sugar, alternately with the flour 
and a pint of rich milk, (sour milk will be best.) Add at 
the last a very small tea-spoonful of pearlash, or of bi- 
carbonate of soda, dissolved in a large wine-glass of 
brandy. Give the whole a hard stirring, and then put it 
immediately into a deep circular tin pan, the sides and 
bottom of which have been first well greased with fresh 
butter. Set it directly into a well-heated oven, and let it 
bake from five to six hours, according to its size. It re- 
quires long and steady baking. When cool, cover it (top 
and sides) with a thick icing, made in the usual way of 
beaten white of egg and sugar, and flavoured with rose- 
water or lemon. 

If the above directions are closeiy followed this will be 
found a very fine cake, and it will keep soft and fresh a 
week if the air is carefully excluded from it. 
17* 



198 the lady's receipt-book. 

It will be still better, if in addition to the two pounds 
of raisins, you mix in two pounds of Zante currants, 
picked, washed, dried before the fire, and then well 
floured. Half a pound of citron cut into slips and floured, 
may also be added. 



STRAWBERRY CAKES.— Sift a small quart of 
flour into a pan, and cut up among it half a pound of the 
best fresh butter ; or mix in a pint of butter if it is soft 
enough to measure in that manner. Rub with your 
hands the butter into the flour, till the whole is crumbled 
fine. Beat three eggs very light ; and then mix with 
them three table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar. Wet 
the flour and butter with the beaten egg and sugar, so as 
to form a dough. If you find it too stiff, add a very little 
cold water. Knead the dough till it quits your hands, 
and leaves them clean. Spread some flour on your paste- 
board, and roll out the dough into a rather thick sheet. 
Cut it into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler, or 
something similar; dipping the cutter frequently into 
flour to prevent its sticking. Butter some large square 
iron pans or baking sheets. Lay the cakes in, not too 
close to each other. Set them in a brisk oven, and bake 
them light brown. Have ready a sufficient quantity of 
ripe strawberries, mashed and made very sweet with 
powdered white sugar. Reserve some of your finest 
strawberries whole. When the cakes are cool, split 
them, place them on flat dishes, and cover the bottom 
piece of each with mashed strawberry, put on thickly. 
Then lay on the top pieces, pressing them down. Have 
ready some icing, and spread it thickly over the top and 
down the sides of each cake, so as to enclose both the 
upper and lower pieces. Before the icing has quite 
dried, ornament the top of every cake with the whole 



CAKES, ETC. 199 

strawberries, a large one in the centre, and the smaller 
ones placed round in a close circle. 

These are delicious and beautiful cakes if properly- 
made. The strawberries, not being cooked, will retain 
all their natural flavour. Instead of strawberries you 
may use raspberries. The large white or buff-coloured 
raspberry is the finest, if to be eaten uncooked. 

PEACH CAKES.— Pick clean and wash a quart of 
dried peaches, and let them stew all night in as much 
clear water as will cover them. In the morning, drain 
off most of the water, leaving only as much of it about 
the peaches as will suffice to prevent them from burn- 
ing after they are set over the fire. It will be best 
to have them soaked in the vessel in which you intend 
to stew them. Keep them covered while stewing, ex- 
cept when you take off the lid to stir them up from the 
bottom. When they are all quite soft, and can be mashed 
into a smooth jam or marmalade, mix in half a pound of 
brown sugar, and set the peaches to cool. In the mean 
time, soften a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter 
in half a pint of warm milk, heated on the stove, but not 
allowed to come to a simmer. Sift a pound of flour into 
a pan; pour in the warm milk and butter (first stirring 
them well together) and a wine-glass of strong, fresh 
yeast. Mix the whole into a dough. Cover it, and set 
it in a warm place to rise. When quite light and cracked 
all over the surface, flour your paste-board, put the dough 
upon it; mix in a small tea-spoonful of sub-carbonate of 
soda, and knead it well ; set it again in a warm place for 
half an hour. Then divide the dough into equal portions, 
and make it up into round cakes about the size in circum- 
ference of the top of a tumbler. Knead each cake. 
Then roll them out into a thin sheet. Have ready the 
peach jam, mashed very smooth, and with a portion of it 



200 

coyer thickly the half of each cake. Fold over the other 
half, so as to enclose the peach jam in the form of a half- 
moon. Bring the two edges closely together and crimp 
them neatly. Lay the cakes in buttered square pans, 
and bake them brown. When done grate sugar over 
the top. These cakes are nice for children, being very 
light, if properly made and baked. They are by no 
means rich, and are good substitutes for tarts. 

Similar cakes may be made with stewed apple, 
flavoured with lemon and sweetened. Or with rasp- 
berries, or any other convenient fruit stewed to a jam. 

SMALL LEMON CAKES.— Break up a pound of 
fine loaf-sugar, and on some of the lumps rub off all the 
yellow rind of four lemons. Then powder all the sugar. 
Beat to a stiff froth the whites of three eggs. Mix the 
sugar, gradually (a tea-spoonful at a time) with the 
beaten white of egg, so as to make a paste, stirring it very 
hard. Spread some white paper (cut exactly to fit) on the 
bottom of a square shallow baking-pan. Place equal 
portions of the paste at regular distances on this paper, 
making them into round heaps, and smoothing their sur- 
faces with the back of a spoon or a broad-hladed knife, 
dipped frequently in cold water. Put the cakes into a 
moderate oven and bake them a light brown. When 
cool take them off the paper. 

You may make orange cakes in this manner. 

Ptrawberry cakes may be made as above, mixing the 
juice of ripe strawberries with the sugar. Raspberry 
cakes also. 

FINE HONEY CAKE.— Mix a quart of strained 
honey with half a pound of powdered white sugar, and 
half a pound of fresh butter, and the juice of two oranges 
or lemons. Warm these ingredients slightly, just enough 



CAKES, ETC. 201 

to soften the butter. Then stir the mixture very hard, 
adding a grated nutmeg. Mix in, gradually, two pounds 
(or less) of sifted flour. Make it into a dough, just stiff 
enough to roll out easily. Beat it well all over with a 
rolling-pin. Then roll it out into a large sheet, half an 
inch thick ; cut it into round cakes with the top of a 
tumbler, (dipped frequently in flour,) lay them in shallow 
tin pans, (slightly buttered,) and bake them well. 



CHOCOLATE CAKE.— Scrape down three ounces 

of the best and purest chocolate, or prepared cocoa. Cut 

up, into a deep pan, three-quarters of a pound of fresh 

butter ; add to it a pound of powdered loaf-sugar ; tind 

stir the butter and sugar together till very light and 

white. Have ready fourteen ounces (two ounces less 

than a pound) of sifted flour ; a powdered nutmeg ; and 

a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon — mixed together. 

Beat the whites of ten eggs till they stand alone; then the 

yolks till they are very thick and smooth. Then mix the 

yolks and whites gradually together, beating very hard 

when they are all mixed. Add the eggs, by degrees, to 

the beaten butter and sugar, in turn with the flour and 

the scraped chocolate, — a little at a time of each ; also 

the spice. Stir the whole very hard. Put the mixture 

into a buttered tin pan with straight sides, and bake it at 

least four hours. If nothing is to be baked afterwards, 

let it remain in till the oven becomes cool. When cold, 

ice it. 

— ♦ — 

LEMON PUFFS.— Take a pound of the best loaf- 
sugar, and powder it. Grate upon lumps of the same sugar 
the yellow rind of four large ripe lemons ; having first 
rolled each lemon under your hand, upon a table, to increase 
the juice. Then powder these pieces of sugar also, and 
add them to the rest. Strain the juice of the lemons over 



202 

the sugar, mixing it well in. Have ready in a saucer 
some extra powdered sugar. Beat to a stiff froth the 
whites of four eggs, and then gradually and thoroughly 
beat into it the lemon and sugar, till the mixture is very 
thick and smooth. If too thin, add more sugar ; if too 
thick, more beaten white of egg. Take a sheet of nice 
white paper, and lay it smoothly in a square tin pan ; 
having first cut it to fit exactly. Put on it, at equal dis- 
tances, a round spot of thinly-spread powdered loaf-sugar, 
about the size of a half-dollar or a little larger. Upon each 
spot place with a spoon a pile of the mixture ; smoothing 
it with a knife dipped in water, and making the surface 
even. Sift over each a little powdered sugar. Set the 
pan in a quick oven, and bake the puffs of a light brown. 
A few minutes' baking will suffice. They should rise 
very high. When cool, loosen them carefully from the 
paper by inserting a broad knife beneath. Then spread 
them out on a large flat dish, and keep them in a dry, cool 

place till wanted. 

— » — 

ORANGE PUFFS may be made in the same manner, 
omitting the rind, and using the juice only of Jive oranges ; 
unless they are all of a very large size, and then four may 
suffice. Very nice puffs can be made with the juice of 
strawberries, raspberries, currants, or cherries ; mixed, 
as above, with beaten white of egg and sugar. 



ROSE MERINGUES.— Beat to a stiff froth the whites 
of six eggs, and then beat in by degrees, a spoonful at a 
time, a pound or more of finely-powdered loaf-sugar, till 
it is of the consistence of very thick icing or meringue. 
Have ready a sufficient quantity of freshly-gathered rose- 
buds, about half grown. Having removed the stalks and 
green leaves, take as many of the buds as will weigh 
three ounces. With a pair of sharp scissors clip or mince 



CAKES, ETC. 203 

them as small as possible into the pan of meringue ; stir- 
ring- them in with a spoon. Then stir the whole very 
hard. Have ready some sheets of white paper, laid on 
baking tins. Drop the meringues on it, in heaps all of 
the same size, and not too close together. Smooth them 
with the back of a spoon or broad knife, dipped in cold 
water. Set them in a moderate cool oven, and bake 
them about twenty minutes. Take out one and try it, ; 
and if not thoroughly done, continue them longer in the 
oven. 

To heighten the red colour, add to the white of egg, 
before you beat it, a very little water, in which has been 
steeped a thin muslin bag of alkanet-root ; or you may 
colour it with a little cochineal powder. 

Orange-blossom meringues may be made as above. 

WHIPPED CREAM MERINGUES.— Take the 

whites of eight eggs, and beat them to a stiff froth, that 
will stand alone. Then beat into them, gradually, a tea- 
spoonful at a time, two pounds or more of finely-powdered 
loaf-sugar; continuing to add sugar till the mixture is very 
thick, and finishing with a little lemon-juice or extract of 
rose. Have ready some sheets of white paper, laid on a 
baking-board, and with a spoon drop the mixture on it in 
long oval heaps, about four inches in length. Smooth and 
shape them with a broad-bladed knife, dipped occasion- 
ally in cold water. The baking-board used for this pur- 
pose should be an inch thick, and must have a slip of iron 
beneath each end to elevate it from the floor of the oven, 
so that it may not scorch, nor the bottoms of the merin- 
gues be baked too hard. This baking-board must not be 
of pine wood, as a pine board will communicate a disa- 
greeable taste of turpentine. The oven must be moderate. 
Bake the meringues of a light brown. When done, take 
them off the paper by slipping a knife nicely beneath the 



204 the lady's receipt-book. 

bottom of each. Then push back or scoop out carefully 
a portion of the inside of each meringue, taking care not 
to break them. Have ready some nice whipped cream, 
made in the following proportion : — Take a quarter of a 
pound of broken-up loaf-sugar, and on some of the lumps 
rub off the yellow rind of two large lemons. Powder the 
sugar, and then mix with it the juice of the lemons, and 
grate in some nutmeg. Mix the sugar with a half-pint 
of sweet white wine. Put into a pan a pint of rich 
cream, and whip it with rods or a wooden whisk, or mill 
it with a chocolate mill, till it is a stiff froth. Then mix 
in, gradually, the other ingredients ; continuing to whip 
it hard a while after they are all in. As you proceed, 
lay the froth on an inverted sieve, with a dish underneath 
to catch the droppings; which droppings must afterwards 
be whipped, and added to the rest Fill the inside of 
each meringue with a portion of the whipped cream. 
Then put two together, so as to form one long oval cake, 
joining them nicely, so as to unite the flat parts that were 
next the paper, leaving the inside filled with the whipped 
cream. Set them again in the oven for a few minutes. 
They must be done with great care and nicety, so as not 
to break. Each meringue should be about the usual 
length of a middle finger. In dropping them on the 
paper, take care to shape the oval ends handsomely and 
smoothly. They should look like very long kisses. 

CREAM TARTS.— Put into a tea-cup a large table- 
spoonful of arrow-root flour. Pour on it a very little cold 
milk, and mix it very smooth with a spoon ; seeing that ,j 
it is entirely free from lumps. Boil, in a sauce-pan, a 
quart of cream or rich unskimmed milk, with the yellow 
rind of a large lemon or orange, pared thin, or cut into i 
slips ; or use for flavouring a handful of bitter almonds or ' 
peach kernels, blanched and broken up ; or, what is still I 



CAKES, ETC. 205 

better, a vanilla bean. The milk must boil slowly (keep- 
ing it closely covered) till it is highly flavoured. Then 
strain out the lemon-peel or other flavouring, and set away 
the milk to cool. Beat the yolks of eight eggs till very thick 
and smooth, and stir them gradually into the milk, alter- 
nately with four heaped table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf- 
sugar. Add some grated nutmeg. Put the whole into 
a sauce-pan, and place it on hot coals or on the stove, and 
continue to stir it till it begins to boil. Then remove it 
immediately, lest it should curdle, and keep stirring it till 
it begins to cool. Afterwards set it in a cold place. 

Sift into a pan a pound and a half of flour ; mix in a 
quarter of a pound of white sugar; cut up in it half a 
pound of fresh butter, and rub it well into the flour and 
sugar. Beat two eggs very light, and with them wet the 
flour, &c, to a dough, adding a very small level tea-spoon- 
ful of soda, dissolved in a very little cold water. Mix the 
paste well till it becomes a lump of dough. Then beat 
it on all sides with the rolling-pin. Transfer it to the 
paste-board, and roll it out thin. Divide it equally into 
square pieces. Put thickly on each piece a portion of 
the cream or custard mixture, and fold over it the four 
corners of the paste, so that they approach each other in 
the centre. Dredge each tart with powdered loaf-sugar. 
Set them into the oven, and let them bake of a light 
brown. They are best when fresh, but not warm; and 
will be found delicious. 

The custard may be coloured green by boiling pista- 
chio nuts in the milk, with the flavouring. 



ICE-CREAM CAKES.— Stir together, till very light, 
a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar and a quarter of 
a pound of fresh butter. Beat six eggs very light, and 
stir into them half a pint of rich milk. Add, gradually, 
the eggs and milk to the butter and sugar, alternately 
18 



206 the lady's receipt-book. 

with a half pound of sifted flour. Add a glass of sweet 
wine, and some grated nutmeg. When all the ingre- 
dients are mixed, stir the batter very hard. Then put it 
into small, deep pans, or cups, that have been well-but- 
tered, filling them about two-thirds with the batter. Set 
them, immediately, into a brisk oven, and bake them 
brown. When done, remove them from the cups, and 
place them, to cool, on an inverted sieve. When quite 
cold, make a slit or incision in the side of each cake. If 
very light, and properly baked, they will be hollow in 
the middle. Fill up this cavity with ice-cream, carefully 
put in with a spoon, and then close the slit, with your 
fingers, to prevent the cream running out. Spread them 
on a large dish. Either send them to table immediately, 
before the ice-cream melts, or keep them on ice till 
wanted. 



LEMON OR ORANGE KISSES.— Take three 
large, ripe lemons, or oranges, and rub off the yellow 
rind, upon some pieces belonging to a pound of fine loaf- 
sugar. Then powder all the pound of sugar, and 
squeeze among the sugar (through a strainer) the juice 
of the lemons or oranges ; mixing it well in. Beat the 
whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, that will stand alone. 
Then beat in, very hard, the sugar, &c, a tea-spoonful 
at a time. Lay a sheet of white paper on a board. 
Drop the mixture on it, in oval piles, smoothing them 
with a broad-bladed knife, dipped frequently in cold wa- 
ter. Set them in a moderate oven, and when they are 
coloured a light brown, take them out, slip a knife care- 
fully under each, to remove them from the papers, and 
place two bottoms together, so as to give them the form 
of an egg. If you use oranges, scoop out a small hollow 
in the bottom of each half-kiss *s soon as they are baked, 



207 

and fill the cavity with orange-pulp, sweetened. Then 
join the two halv r es together. 

Instead of lemon or orange, they may be finely fla- 
voured, by mixing with the powdered sugar a sufficient 
quantity of extract of vanilla. 

CHOCOLATE MACCAROONS.— Blanch half a 
pound of shelled sweet almonds, by scalding them with 
boiling water, till the skin peels off easily. Then throw 
them into a bowl of cold water, and let them stand awhile. 
Take them out and wipe them, separately. Afterwards 
set them in a warm place, to dry thoroughly. Put them, 
one at a time, into a marble mortar, and pound them to a 
smooth paste ; moistening them, as you proceed, with a 
few drops of rose-water, to prevent their oiling. When 
you have pounded one or two, take them out of the mor- 
tar, with a tea-spoon, and put them into a deep plate, 
beside you, and continue removing the almonds to the 
plate, till they are all done. Scrape down, as fine as 
possible, half a pound of the best chocolate, or of Baker's 
prepared cocoa, and mix it, thoroughly, with the pounded 
almonds. Then set the plate in a cool place. Put the 
whites of eight eggs into a shallow pan, and beat them 
to a stiff froth, that will stand alone. Have ready a 
pound and a half of finely-powdered loaf-sugar. Stir it, 
hard, into the beaten white-of-egg, a spoonful at a time. 
Then stir in, gradually, the mixture of almond and cho- 
colate ; and beat the whole very hard. Drop the mixture, 
in equal portions, upon thin white paper, laid on square 
tin pans, smoothing them, with a spoon, into round cakes, 
about the size of a half-dollar. Dredge the top of each, 
lightly, with powdered sugar.. Set them into a quick 
oven, and bake them a light brown. When done, take 
them off the paper. 

For the first experiment, in making these maccaroons, 



r J 



208 

it may be well to try a smaller quantity. For instance, 
a quarter of a pound of shelled almonds ; a quarter of a 
pound of chocolate ; four eggs ; and three-quarters of a I 

pound of sugar. 

— ♦ — 

LEMON MACCAROONS.— Take four large ripe 
lemons, and rub off the yellow surface of the rind, upon 
a lump of sugar. Then powder that sugar, and add to 
it not quite a pound of loaf-sugar, already powdered. 
Break four eggs into a shallow pan, and beat them till 
very thick and light. Then add the juice of the lemons, 
squeezed through a strainer, and a tea-spoonful of pow- 
dered nutmeg and cinnamon, and stir in the sugar, a lit- 
tle at a time, alternately with three large heaped-up 
table-spoonfuls of sifted flour. A little more flour may, 
probably, be found necessary. Mix the whole, tho- 
roughly, so as to form a soft paste. Have ready some 
shallow, square baking-pans, or sheets of iron, the bottoms 
covered with white paper, laid smoothly in. Moisten 
your hands with water, and then take up portions of the 
mixture, and roll them into balls, about the size of a large 
plum, laying them, as you proceed, upon the paper, but 
rather more than an inch apart. Lastly, with the blade 
of a knife, dipped in water, smooth the surface of each. 
Set them into a moderate oven, and bake them brown. 
Try one, when you think they are done. If not suffi- 
ciently baked, let them remain longer in the oven. As 
soon as they are cold, loosen them from the paper, by 
slipping under them a broad-bladed knife. Orange mac- 
caroons may be made in this manner, using the grated 
rind of two oranges only, but the juice of four. To make 
vanilla maccaroons, boil, in a covered vessel, a vanilla 
bean, with as much milk as will barely cover it. When 
the milk is strongly flavoured with the vanilla, strain it, 
and, when cold, add it to the beaten egg. Then stir in, 



CAKES, ETC. 209 

gradually, the sugar, spice, and flour, and proceed as 
above. 

■ — ♦ — 

GROUND-NUT MACCAROONS.-— Take a suffi- 
ciency of ground-nuts, that have been roasted in an iron 
pot, over the fire ; remove the shells ; and weigh a pound 
of the nuts. Put them into a pan of cold water, and wash 
off the skins. Have ready some beaten white of egg. 
Pound the ground-nuts, (two or three at a time,) in a 
marble mortar, adding, frequently, a little cold water, to 
prevent their oiling. They must be pounded to a 
smooth, light paste ; and, as you proceed, remove the 
paste to a saucer or a plate. Beat, to a stiff froth, the 
whites of four eggs, and then beat into it, gradually, a 
pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and a large tea-spoonful of 
powdered mace and nutmeg mixed. Then stir in, by 
degrees, the pounded ground-nuts, till the mixture be- 
comes very thick. Flour your hands, and roll, between 
them, portions of the mixture, forming each portion into 
a little ball. Lay sheets of white paper on flat baking- 
tins, and place on them the maccaroons, at equal dis- 
tances, flattening them all a little, so as to press down 
the balls into cakes. Then sift powdered sugar over 
each. Place them in a brisk oven, with more heat at 
the top than in the bottom. Bake them about ten 
minutes. 

Almond maccaroons may be made as above, mixing 
one-quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds with 
three-quarters of shelled sweet almonds. For almond 
maccaroons, instead of flouring your hands, you may dip 
them in cold water; and when the maccaroons are 
formed on the papers, go slightly over every one, with 
your ringers wet with cold water. 

Maccaroons may be made, also, of grated cocoa-nut 
mixed with beaten white of egg and powdered sugar. 
18* 



210 

WEST INDIA COCOA-NUT CAKE.— Cut up and 
peel some pieces of a very ripe cocoa-nut. Lay the 
pieces for awhile in cold water. Then take them out ; 
wipe them very dry ; and grate, very finely, as much as, 
when grated, will weigh half a pound. Powder half a 
pound of the best loaf-sugar. Beat eight eggs, till very 
light, thick, and smooth. Then stir the grated cocoa-nut 
and the powdered sugar, alternately, into the pan of 
beaten egg, a little at a time of each ; adding a handful 
of sifted flour, a powdered nutmeg, and a glass of sweet 
wine. Stir the whole very hard; Butter a square tin 
pan. Put in the mixture, set it immediately into a quick 
oven, and bake it well ; seeing that the heat is well kept 
up all the time. When cool, cut it into squares. Have 
ready a thick icing, made of powdered sugar and white 
of egg, flavoured with rose-water, or extract of roses. 
Ice each square of the cake, all over the top and sides. 

You may bake it in a loaf, in a deep, circular pan. 
Ice the whole surface, and ornament it. 

For a large cake, baked in a loaf, allow a pound of 
grated cocoa-nut ; a pound of sugar ; sixteen eggs ; two 
handfuls of flour ; two nutmegs, and two glasses of wine. 
It will require very long baking. 



RICE-FLOUR POUND-CAKE.— Weigh a pound 
of broken up loaf-sugar of the best quality. Upon some 
of the largest lumps rub off the yellow rind of three large 
ripe lemons that have been previously rolled under your 
hand, on a table, to increase the juice. Then powder 
finely all the pound of sugar. Cut up into a deep pan a 
pound of the best fresh butter ; mix with it the powdered 
sugar, and stir them together, with a wooden spaddle, 
till perfectly light. Squeeze the juice of the lemons 
through a strainer into a bowl, mix with it half a grated 
nutmeg, and add it to the butter and sugar. Sift a pound 



CAKES, ETC. 211 

(or a quart) of rice-flour into a pan, and in another shallow 
pan beat twelve eggs till they are smooth and thick. 
Then stir the beaten egg and the rice-flour, alternately, 
into the butter and sugar, a little at a time of each. Hav- 
ing stirred the whole long and hard, put the mixture into 
a buttered tin pan that has straight or upright sides ; set 
it immediately into a well-heated oven, and bake it tho- 
roughly. It will require four or five hours, in proportion 
to its thickness. When done, it will shrink a little from 
the sides of the pan ; and a twig from a corn-broom, or a 
wooden skewer plunged down to the bottom of the cake, 
will come out dry and clean. When cool, ice it ; adding 
a little rose-water or lemon-juice to the icing. Heap the 
icing first on the centre of the top, and then with a broad- 
Waded knife, (dipped occasionally into a bowl of cold wa- 
ter,) spread it evenly all over the surface of the cake. 

Instead of lemons, you may use for flavouring this 
cake, the yellow rind of two oranges grated on the sugar, 
and the juice of three mixed with the spice. Orange- 
rind being stronger and more powerful in taste than that 
of lemon, a smaller quantity of it will suffice. 

You may bake the above mixture in little tins, like 
queen-cakes ; taking care to grease them with fresh 
butter. 

This mixture will make a nice pudding ; using only 
half a pound of rice-flour, but the above quantities of. all 
the other ingredients. Bake it in china or handsome 
white-ware, as it must go to table in the dish it is 

baked in. 

— ♦ — 

RICE SPONGE-CAKE.— Put twelve eggs into a 
scale, and balance them in the other scale with their 
weight in broken loaf-sugar. Take out four of the eggs, 
remove the sugar, and balance the remaining eight eggs 
with an equal quantity of rice-flour. Rub off on some 



212 the lady's receipt-book. 

lumps of the sugar, the yellow rind of three fine large 
ripe lemons. Then powder all the sugar. Break the 
eggs, one at a time, into a saucer, and put all the whites 
into a pitcher, and all the yolks into a broad shallow 
earthen pan. Having poured the whites of egg from the 
pitcher through a strainer into a rather shallow pan, beat 
them till so stiff that they stand alone. Then add the 
powdered sugar, gradually, to the white of egg, and beat 
it in well. In the other pan, beat the yolks till very 
smooth and ihick. Then mix them, gradually, a little at 
a time, with the white of egg and sugar. Lastly, stir in, 
by degrees, the rice-flour, adding it lightly, and stirring 
it slowly and gently round till the surface is covered with 
bubbles. Transfer it directly to a butter tin pan ; set it 
immediately into a brisk oven ; and bake it an hour and 
a half or more, according to its thickness. Ice it when 
cool ; flavouring the icing with lemon or rose. This 
cake will be best the day it is baked. 

In every sort of sponge-cake, Naples-biscuit, lady-fin- 
gers, and in all cakes made without butter, it is important 
to know that though the egg and sugar is to be beaten 
very hard, the flour, which must always go in at the 
last, must be stirred in very slowly and lightly, holding 
the whisk or stirring-rods perpendicularly or upright in 
your hand ; and moving it gently round and round on the 
surface of the batter without allowing it to go down 
deeply. If the flour is stirred in hard and fast, the 
cake will certainly be tough, leathery, and unwholesome. 
Sponge-cake when cut should look coarse-grained and 
rough. 

SWEET POTATOE CAKE.— Half-boil some fine 
sweet potatoes ; peel them ; and when cold, grate as 
much as will weigh half a pound. If boiled long enough 
to become soft, they will render the cake heavy. Stir 



CAKES, ETC. 213 

together in a deep pan, half a pound of fresh butter, and 
half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, till quite light and 
creamy. Then add a tea-spoonful of powdered mace, 
nutmeg, and cinnamon, all mixed together; and the juice 
and grated rind of two large lemons or oranges. Beat in 
a shallow pan six eggs till very smooth and thick ; and 
stir-them into the pan of butter and sugar in turn with the 
grated sweet-potatoe, a little of each at a time. Then stir 
the whole very hard. Butter a deep tin pan with straight 
sides. Put in the mixture, and bake it well. If you 
want more cake than the above quantity, double the pro- 
portions of each ingredient ; but bake the mixture in two 
pans, rather than in one. Ice it when cold, adding a 
little lemon or orange-juice to the icing. In spreading 
the icing, begin by heaping it on the centre of the cake, 
and then gradually bringing it all over the top and sides, 
dipping the knife, frequently, into a bowl of cold water. 



CHOCOLATE PUFFS.— Beat very stiff the whites 
of two eggs, and then beat in, gradually, half a pound of 
powdered loaf-sugar. Scrape down very fine, an ounce 
and a half of the best chocolate, (prepared cocoa is better 
still,) and dredge it with flour to prevent its oiling ; mix- 
ing the flour well among it. Then add it, gradually, to 
the mixture of white of egg and sugar, and stir the whole 
very hard. Cover the bottom of a square tin pan with a 
sheet of fine white paper, cut to fit exactly. Place upon 
it thin spots of powdered loaf-sugar about the size of a 
half-dollar. Pile a portion of the mixture on each spot, 
smoothing it with the back of a spoon or a broad knife, 
dipped in cold water. Sift white sugar over the top of 
each. Set the pan into a brisk oven, and bake them a 
few minutes. When cold, loosen them from the paper 
with a broad knife. 



214 the lady's receipt-book. 

COCOA-NUT PUFFS.— Break up a large ripe cocoa- 
nut. Pare the pieces, and lay them awhile in cold water. 
Then wipe them dry, and grate them as finely as pos- 
sible. Lay the grated cocoa-nut in well-formed heaps on 
a large handsome dish. It will require no cooking. The 
heaps should be about the circumference of a dollar, and 
must not touch each other. Flatten them down in the 
middle, so as to make a hollow in the centre of each 
heap ; and upon this pile some very nice sweetmeat. 
Make an excellent whipped cream, well sweetened and 
flavoured with lemon and wine, and beat it to a stiff 
froth. Pile some of this cream high upon each cake 
over the sweetmeats. If on a supper-table you may 
arrange them in circles round a glass stand. 

PALMER CAKES.— Sift a pound of flour into a pan, 
and rub into it half a pound of butter, and a quarter of a 
pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Add a tea-spoonful of 
mixed spice, powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace. 
Wet the mixture with two well-beaten eggs ; the juice 
of a large lemon or orange ; and sufficient rose-water to 
make it into, a dough just stiff enough to roll out easily. 
Sprinkle a little flour on the paste-board; lay the lump 
of dough upon it, roll it out rather thin, and cut it into 
round cakes with the edge of a tumbler dipped every 
time in flour to prevent stickiness. Lay the cakes in 
buttered square pans. Set them in a rather brisk oven, 
and bake them brown. 



LIGHT SEED CAKE.— Sift into a pan a pound and 
a half of flour ; cut up in it a pound of fresh butter, and 
rub it well into the flour with your hands. Mix in six 
table-spoonfuls of strong fresh yeast ; add gradually as 
much warm milk as will make it a soft dough, and knead 
it well. Cover it with a double cloth and set it in a warm 



CAKES, ETC. 215 

place to rise. When quite light, and cracked all over 
the surface, mix in, alternately, a quarter of a pound of 
powdered white sugar, and a quarter of a pound of 
carraway seeds, a little of each at a time. Knead the 
dough well a second time, adding a small tea-spoonful of 
soda dissolved in a very little warm water. Cover it and 
set it to rise again. It will probably require now but 
half an hour. Transfer it to a circular tin pan, slightly 
buttered, and bake it in a loaf. It is best when eaten 
fresh, but not warm. It may be baked in a square pan, 
and cut into square pieces when cool. 



CARRAWAY CAKE.— Sift half a pound of rice 
flour into a dish. In a deep pan cut up half a pound of 
fresh butter, and mix with it half a pound of powdered 
loaf-sugar. Having warmed them slightly, stir together 
the butter and sugar till very light and creamy. Break 
five eggs, and beat them in a shallow pan till .thick and 
smooth. Then stir them, gradually, into the pan of 
beaten sugar and butter, alternately with the flour; a 
little of each at a time. Add, by degrees, a tea-spoonful 
of powdered cinnamon and nutmeg mixed ; a wine-glass 
of rose water or of rose-brandy, and half an ounce or 
more of carraway seeds thrown in a few at a time, stirring 
hard all the while. Butter a square iron pan ; put in 
the mixture ; set it in a rather brisk oven, and bake it 
well. When done, sift powdered sugar over it ; and 
when cool, cut it into long squares. 



WONDERS.-— Cut up half a pound of fresh butter 
into a pound of sifted flour, and rub them well together 
with your hands. Mix in three-quarters of a pound of 
white sugar, and a large tea-spoonful of cinnamon. Add 
a glass of good white wine, and a glass of rose-water. 
Beat six eggs very light, and mix them gradually with 



216 the lady's receipt-book. 

the above ingredients, so as to form a dough. If you fine} 
the dough too soft, add by degrees a little more flour. 
Roll out the dough into a thick sheet, and cut it into long 
slips with a jagging-iron. Then form each strip into the 
figure 8. Have ready over the fire a pot of boiling lard. 
Throw the cakes into it, a few at a time, and let them 
cook till they are well browned all over. Then take 
them out, with a perforated skimmer, draining back into 
the pot the lard that is about them. As you take 
them out lay them on a flat dish, the bottom of which is 
strewed with powdered sugar. They will keep a week, 
but like most other cakes are best the day they are baked. 



SOFT CRULLERS.— Sift three quarters of a pound 
of flour, and powder half a pound of loaf-sugar. Heat a 
pint of water in a round-bottomed sauce-pan, and when 
quite warm, mix the flour with it gradually. Set half a 
pound of fresh butter over the fire in a small vessel ; and 
when it begins to melt, stir it gradually into the flour and 
water. Then add by degrees the powdered sugar, and 
half a grated nutmeg. Take the sauce -pan off the fire, 
and beat the contents, with a wooden spaddle or spatula, 
till they are thoroughly mixed. Then beat six eggs very 
light, and stir them gradually into the mixture. Beat the 
whole very hard, till it becomes a thick batter. Flour a 
paste-board very well, and lay out the batter upon it in 
rings, (the best way is to pass it through a screw funnel.) 
Have ready, on the fire, a pot of boiling lard of the very 
best quality. Put in the crullers, removing them from 
the board by carefully taking them up, one at a time, on a 
broad-bladed knife. Boil but a few at a time. They must 
be of a fine brown. Lift them out on a perforated skimmer, 
draining the lard from them back into the pot. Lay them 
on a large dish, and sift powdered white sugar over them. 

Soft crullers cannot be made in warm weather. 



CAKES, ETC. 217 

NOTIONS. — Put into a sauce-pan a pint of milk, and 
two table-spoonfuls of fresh butter. Set it over the fire, 
and when the butter begins to melt, stir it well through 
the milk. As soon as it comes to a boil, begin to stir in 
a pint of sifted flour, a little at a time ; making the mix- 
ture very smooth, and pressing out all the lumps. Let it 
continue to boil five minutes after the flour is all in. Then 
pour it into a deep pan, and set it to cool. In another pan 
beat six eggs very light. When it is nearly cool, stir the 
beaten egg into the mixture, a little at a time; stirring 
the whole very hard, till it is as light as possible. 

Have ready, over the fire, a pot with a pound or more 
of fresh lard melting in it. When the lard comes to a 
boil, take up portions of the batter in a large spoon, or a 
small ladle, and drop them into the boiling lard, so as to 
form separate balls. When they are well browned, take 
them out with a perforated skimmer, draining the lard 
from them back into the pot. Lay them on a flat dish, 
and when all are done, sift over them a mixture of pow- 
dered sugar and powdered cinnamon or nutmeg. They 
should be eaten quite fresh. 



CROSS-BUNS.— Pick clean a pound and a half of 
Zante currants ; wash, drain, and dry them ; spreading 
them on a large flat dish, placed in a slanting position near 
the fire or in the sun. When they are perfectly dry, 
dredge them thickly with flour to prevent their sinking 
or clodding in the cakes. Sift into a deep pan two 
pounds of fine flour, and mix thoroughly with it a table- 
spoonful of powdered cinnamon, (or of mixed nutmeg 
and cinnamon,) and half a pound of powdered white 
sugar. Cut up half a pound of the best fresh butter in 
half a pint of rich milk. Warm it till the butter is quite 
soft, but not till it melts. While warm, stir into the milk 
and butter two wine-glasses (or a jill) of strong fresh yeast. 
19 



218 

Make a hole in the centre of the pan of flour ; pour in 
the mixed liquid ; then, with a spoon or a broad knife, 
mix the flour gradually in ; beginning round the edge of 
the hole. Proceed thus till you have the entire mass of 
ingredients thoroughly incorporated ; stirring it hard as 
you go on. Cover the pan with a clean flannel or a thick 
towel, and set it in a warm place near the fire to rise. 
When it has risen well, and the surface of the dough is 
cracked all over, mix in a small tea-spoonful of soda, dis- 
solved ; flour your paste-board ; divide the dough into 
equal portions, and mixing in the currants, knead it into 
round cakes about the size of a small saucer. Place them 
on a large flat dish, cover them, and set them again in a warm 
place for about half an hour. Then butter some square 
tin or iron baking-pans ; transfer the buns to them ; and 
brush each bun lightly over with a glazing of beaten 
white of eggs, sweetened with a little sugar. Then, 
with the back of a knife, mark each bun with a cross, 
deeply indented in the dough, and extending entirely 
from one edge to another. Let the oven be quite ready; 
set in it the buns ; and bake them of a deep brown co- 
lour. In England, and in other parts of Europe, it is 
customary to have hot cross-buns at breakfast on the 
morning of Good Friday. They are very good cakes at 
any time ; but are best when fresh. 

TO ICE A LARGE CAKE.— It requires practice to 
ice cakes smoothly. It is a good rule to allow a large 
quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar to the white 
of every egg. The whites of four eggs and a pound of 
sugar will ice a large cake. Having strained the white of 
egg into a broad, shallow pan, beat it to a stiff froth with 
hickory rods or a large silver fork. It must be beaten 
till it stands alone. Have ready the powdered sugar in 
a bowl beside you ; add it, gradually, to the beaten white 



CAKES, ETC. 219 

of egg, a tea-spoonful at a time, and beat it very hard. 
Perhaps some additional sugar may be required to make 
the icing sufficiently thick. Flavour it by beating in at 
the last a few drops of oil of lemon, or a spoonful of fresh 
lemon or orange-juice, or a few drops of extract of vanilla, 
or extract of roses. Lemon-juice will make it more ad- 
hesive, so that it will stick on better. Turn bottom-up- 
wards the empty pan in which the cake was baked, and 
place this pan on a large flat dish, or an old server. 
Dredge the cake all over with flour, to take off the greasi- 
ness of the outside, which greasiness may otherwise pre- 
vent the icing from sticking well. Then wipe off the 
flour with a clean towel. Take up the icing with a 
spoon, and begin by heaping a large quantity of it on the 
middle of the top of the cake. Then, with a broad-bladed 
knife, spread it down evenly and smoothly, till the top 
and sides are all covered with it of an equal thickness. 
Have beside you a bowl of cold water, into which dip the 
knife-blade, occasionally, as you go on spreading and 
smoothing the icing. Put it into a wanri place to harden. 
When nearly dry, have ready sufficient icing to ornament 
or flower the cake. This must be done by means of a 
small syringe. By working and moving this syringe 
skilfully, the icing will fall from it so as to form borders, 
headings, wreaths, and centre-pieces, according to your 
taste. If you cannot procure a syringe, a substitute may 
be formed by rolling or folding a piece of thick, smooth 
writing paper into a conical or sugar-loaf form. At the 
large end of this cone leave paper enough to turn down 
all round, so as to prevent the side opening, and the icing 
escaping. The pointed end must be neatly cut off with 
scissors, leaving a small round hole, through which the 
icing is to be pressed out when ornamenting the cake. 
The hole must be cut perfectly even ; otherwise the icing 
will come out crooked and unmanageable. These paper 



220 

cones, in skilful hands, may succeed tolerably ; but they 
must be continually renewed, and are far less conve- 
nient than a syringe, which can be bought at a small cost, 
and is always ready for use. Where much icing is to be 
done, it is well to have a set of syringes with the points 
of different patterns. 

To decorate cakes with ornamental icing, requires 
practice, skill, and taste. A person that has a good 
knowledge of drawing can generally do it very hand- 
somely. 

To colour it of a beautiful pink, tie up a little alkanet 
in a thin muslin bag, and let it infuse in the icing after it 
is made, squeezing the bag occasionally. When suf- 
ficiently coloured, take out the bag, and give the icing 
a hard stirring or beating before you put it on. Cover 
the cake all over with the pink icing, and then have ready 
some white icing for the border and other ornaments, — to 
be put on with the syringe. 

Icing may be made stiffer and more adhesive by mix- 
ing with it, gradually, a small portion of dissolved gum 
tragacanth. This solution is prepared by melting gum 
tragacanth in boiling water, (if wanted for immediate 
use,) having first picked the gum quite clean. The pro- 
portion is half an ounce of the gum to half a pint of water. 
It is slow in dissolving. To keep it from spoiling, add 
to the gum (before the water) a few drops of strong oil 
of lemon, or oil of cinnamon. 

FRENCH ICING FOR CAKES.-— Dissolve some 
fine white gum arabic (finely powdered) in rose-water. 
The proportion should be, as much of the gum-arabic 
powder as will lie on a ten-cent piece to a tea-spoonful of 
rose-water. Beat some white of egg to a stiff froth that 
will stand alone. Stir in, gradually, sufficient double- 
refined powdered loaf-sugar to make it very thick, (a 



CAKES, ETC. 221 

good proportion is four ounces of sugar to the white of 
one egg,) add to this quantity a tea-spoonful of the rose- 
water with the gum arabic dissol ved in it, and beat the 
whole very hard. Instead of rose-water you may dis- 
solve the gum in fresh lemon-juice. Previous to icing 
the cake, dredge it with flour, and in a few minutes wipe 
it off with a clean towel. This, by removing the greasi- 
ness of the outside, will make the icing stick on the better. 
Heap the icing first on the middle of the top of the cake; 
then with a broad-bladed knife spread it evenly all over 
the surface. Dip the knife frequently in a bowl of cold 
water as you proceed, and smooth the icing well. If not 
thick enough, wait till it dries, and then add a second coat. 



ALMOND ICING.— Take half a pound of shelled 
sweet almonds, and three ounces of shelled bitter 
almonds. Put them, a few at a time, into a large bowl, 
and pour on boiling water to loosen the skins. As you 
peel them, throw the almonds into a bowl of cold water. 
When they are all blanched, pound them one at a 
time in a marble mortar, adding frequently a few drops 
of rose-water to prevent their oiling. They must be 
pounded to a smooth paste without the smallest particles 
of lumps. As you pound the almonds, remove this paste 
with a tea-spoon to a deep plate. Beat the whites of 
four eggs to a stiff froth. Then, gradually beat in a 
pound of the best double-refined sugar. Lastly, add, by 
degrees, the almond paste, a little at a time, and beat the 
whole very hard. If too thick, thin it with lemon-juice. 



APPLE CAKE.— Make a nice light paste with the 
proportion of three quarters of a pound of fresh butter to 
a pound and a quarter of sifted flour. Roll it out into a 
large round sheet. Have ready a sufficiency of fine juicy 
apples, pared, cored, and sliced thin ; mixed with one or 
19* 



222 

two sliced quinces ; and half a pound, or more, of the best 
raisins, seeded and cut in half. Make the mixture very 
sweet with brown sugar ; and add some grated nutmeg ; 
and a wine-glass, or more, of rose-water; or else the juice 
and grated yellow rind of one or two lemons. Mix ail 
thoroughly, and put it on the sheet of paste ; which must 
then be closed over the heap of mixture so as to form a very 
,arge dumpling. Put it into a small dutch-oven, and set 
it over hot coals, having previously heated the oven-lid by 
standing it upright before the fire. Then lay on the lid, 
with hot coals spread over it. Have ready a sufficient 
quantity of butter, brown sugar, and powdered cinnamon, 
stirred together till very light. Spread a portion of it on 
the bottom of the oven. While the cake is baking, re- 
move the oven-lid frequently, and baste the cake with 
this mixture, which will form a sort of thick brown crust, 
covering it all over. It should bake from two to three 
hours ; or longer if it is large. When thoroughly done, 
turn it out on a dish. It should be eaten fresh, the day 
it is baked ; either warm or cold. 

This is a German cake, and will be found very good. 

CINNAMON CAKES.— Make a paste as above, and 
roll it out thin into a square sheet. Have ready a mix- 
ture of brown sugar ; fresh butter ; and a large portion 
of ground cinnamon ; all stirred together till very light. 
Spread this mixture thickly over the sheet of paste ; then 
roll it up, as you would a rolled up marmalade pudding. 
After it is rolled up, cut it down into pieces or cakes of 
equal size, and press them rather flat. Have ready over 
the fire a skillet or frying-pan with plenty of fresh butter 
boiling hard. Put in some of the cakes and fry them 
bro^vn. As fast as they are done, take them out on a 
perforated skimmer ; drain off the butter, and lay them 
on a hot dish. Then put in more cakes, till all are fried. 



CAKES, ETC. 223 

They should be eaten warm, first sifting powdered white 
sugar over them. 

These cakes, also, are German. They may be con- 
veniently prepared when you are making pies, as the 
same paste will do for both. 

GINGER POUND CAKE.— Cut up in a pan three 
quarters of a pound of butter ; mix with it a pint of West 
India molasses, and a tea-cup of brown sugar. If in 
winter, set it over the fire till the butter has become soft 
enough to mix easily with the molasses and sugar. Then 
take it off, and stir them well together. Sift into a pan 
a pound of flour. In another pan, beat five eggs very 
light. Add gradually the beaten eggs and the flour, to 
the mixture of butter, sugar, and molasses, with two large 
table-spoonfuls of ground ginger, and a heaped tea-spoon- 
ful of powdered cinnamon. Then stir in a glass of 
brandy, and lastly a small tea-spoonful of sal-eratus or 
sub-carbonate of soda melted in a very little milk. Stir 
the whole very hard. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 
tin-pan, and bake it in a moderate oven from two to three 
hours, in proportion to its thickness. 

This cake will be much improved by the addition of 
a pound of sultana or seedless raisins, well dredged with 
flour to prevent their sinking, and stirred in, gradually, 
at the last. 

You may add also the yellow rind of a lemon or orange 

grated fine. 

— ♦ — 

FLEMINGTON GINGERBREAD.— Stir together 
till quite light, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and 
a quarter of a pound of brown sugar. Then mix in half 
a pint of West India molasses. Sift rather less than a 
pint and a half of flour. Beat four eggs till very light, 
and stir them gradually into the mixture, alternately with 



224 

the sifted flour. Add a heaping table-spoonful of ginger, 
and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Stir all well. 
Dissolve a level tea-spoonful of soda or pearlash in as 
much warm water as will melt it ; then stir it in at the 
last. Put the mixture into a buttered tin-pan, (either 
square or round,) set it immediately into the oven, which 
must be brisk but not too hot ; and bake it well. When 
you think it done, probe it to the bottom with a knife or 
a broom-twig, stuck down into the centre ; and do not 
take the cake from the oven unless the knife comes out 
clean and dry. It requires long baking. 



GINGER CRACKERS.— Mix together in a deep 
pan, a pint of West India molasses ; half a pound of but- 
ter ; and a quarter of a pound of brown sugar ; two large 
table-spoonfuls of ginger ; a tea-spoonful of powdered 
cinnamon ; a small tea-spoonful of pearlash or soda, dis- 
solved in a little warm water ; and sufficient sifted flour 
to make a dough jast stiff enough to roll out conveniently. 
Let the whole be well incorporated into a large lump. 
Knead it till it leaves your hands clean ; then beat it hard 
with a rolling-pin, which will make it crisp when baked. 
Divide the dough, and roll it out into sheets half an inch 
thick. Cut it into cakes with a tin cutter about the 
usual size of a cracker-biscuit, or with the edge of a tea- 
sup dipped frequently into flour to prevent its sticking. 
Lay the cakes at regular distances in square pans slightly 
outtered. Set them directly into a moderately brisk oven, 
and bake them well, first pricking them with a fork. 

Ginger crackers are excellent on a sea voyage. If 
made exactly as above they will keep many weeks. 

In greasing all cake-pans use only the best fresh butter : 
otherwise the outside of a thick cake will taste disagree- 
ably, and the whole of a thin cake will have an unplea- 
sant flavour. 



CAKES, ETC. 225 

SEA-VOYAGE GINGERBREAD.— Sift two pounds 
of flour into a pan, and cut up in it a pound and a quarter 
of fresh butter ; rub the butter well into the flour, and 
then mix in a pint of West India molasses and a pound 
of the best brown sugar. Beat eight eggs till very light. 
Stir into the beaten egg two glasses or a jill of brandy. 
Add also to the egg a teacup-full of ground ginger, and a 
table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, with a tea-spoonful 
of soda melted in a little warm water. Wet the flour, 
&c, with this mixture till it becomes a soft dough. 
Sprinkle a little flour on your paste-board, and with a 
broad knife spread portions of the mixture thickly and 
smoothly upon it. The thickness must be equal all 
through ; therefore spread it carefully and evenly, as the 
dough will be too soft to roll out. Then with the edge of 
a tumbler dipped in flour, cut it out into round cakes. 
Have ready square pans, slightly buttered ; lay the cakes 
in them sufficiently far apart to prevent their running 
into each other when baked. Set the pans into a brisk 
oven, and bake the cakes well, seeing that they do not 
burn. 

You may cut them out small with the lid of a cannister 
(or something similar) the usual size of gingerbread nuts. 

These cakes will keep during a long voyage, and are 
frequently carried to sea. Many persons find highly- 
spiced gingerbread a preventive to sea-sickness. 

SPICED GINGERBREAD.— Sift into a deep pan a 
pound and a half of flour, and cut up in it half a pound 
of the best fresh butter. Rub them together, with your 
hands, till thoroughly incorporated. Then add half a 
pound of brown sugar, crushed fine with the rolling-pin; 
a table-spoonful of mixed spice, consisting of equal quan- 
tities of powdered cloves, mace, and cinnamon. Also, a 
table-spoonful of ground ginger, and two table-spoonfuls 



226 

of carraway seeds. Mix the whole together, and wet it 
with a pint of West India molasses. Dissolve a small 
tea-spoonful of pearlash or soda in a very little warm 
water. Mix it into the other ingredients. Spread some 
flour on your paste-board, take the dough out of the pan, 
flour your hands, and knead the dough till it ceases 
entirely to be sticky. Roll it out into a very thick square 
sheet ; cut it into long straight slips ; twist every two 
slips together, rounding off the ends nicely. ■ Lay them 
(not too closely) in buttered square pans, and bake them 
well. As gingerbread burns easily, take care not to have 
the oven too hot. Instead of forming it into twisted strips, 
you may cut the sheet of gingerbread-dough into round 
cakes with the edge of a tumbler, which, as you proceed, 
must be frequently dipped in flour. 

CARRAWAY GINGERBREAD.— Cut up half a 
pound of fresh butter in a pint of West India molasses 
and warm them together slightly, till the butter is quite 
soft. Then stir them well, and add, gradually, a pound 
of good brown sugar, a table-spoonful of powdered cin- 
namon, and two heaped table-spoonfuls of ground ginger, 
or three, if the ginger is not very strong. Sift two pounds 
or two quarts of flour. Beat four eggs till very thick 
and light, and stir them, gradually, into the mixture, in 
turn with the flour, and five or six large table-spoon- 
fuls of carraway seeds, a little at a time. Dissolve a very 
small tea-spoonful of pearlash or soda in as much luke- 
warm water as will cover it. Then stir it in at the last, j 
Stir all very hard. Transfer it to a buttered tin pan with 
straight sides, and bake it in a loaf in a moderate oven. 
It will require a great deal of baking. 

MOLASSES GINGERBREAD.— Mix together a 
quart of West India molasses, and a pint of milk. Cut 



CAKES, ETC. 227 

up in them a pound of fresh butter. Set the pan on a 
stove, or in a warm place till the butter becomes soft 
enough to stir and mix well into the molasses and milk. 
They must be merely warmed but not made hot. Then 
stir in a small teacup of ginger, and a table-spoonful of 
powdered cinnamon. Add, gradually, a little at a time^ 
three pounds of sifted flour. The whole should be a thick 
batter. Lastly, stir in a large tea-spoonful of soda, or a 
smaller one of pearlash or sal-eratus, dissolved in a very 
little lukewarm water. Bake the mixture either in little 
tins, or in a large loaf. If the latter, it will require very 
long baking ; as long as a black-cake 

MOLASSES CAKE.— Cut up a quarter of a pound 
of fresh butter intc a. pint of West India molasses. Warm 
it just sufficiently to soften the butter, and make it mix 
easily. Stir it well into the molasses, and add a table- 
spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Beat three eggs very 
light, and stir them, gradually, into the mixture, in turn 
with barely enough of sifted flour (not more than a pint 
and a half) to make it about as thick as pound-cake bat- 
ter. Add, at the last, a small or level tea-spoonful of 
pearlash, or a full one of soda, dissolved in a very little 
warm water. Butter some small tin cake-pans, or patty- 
pans, put in the mixture, and set them immediately into 
the oven, which must not be too hot, as all cakes made 
with molasses are peculiarly liable to scorch on the 
outside. 

SUGAR CAKE.— Sift two pounds of flour into a 
pan, and cut up in it a pound of fresh butter. Rub with 
your hands the butter into the flour till it is thoroughly 
mixed. Then rub in a pound of sugar, and a grated 
nutmeg. Wet the whole with half a pint of rich milk 
(or a jill of rose-water, and a jiil of milk) mixed with a 



228 the lady's receipt-book. 

well-beaten egg. Add, at the last, a very small tea- 
spoonful of pearlash or soda, dissolved in a little vinegar 
or warm water. Roll out the dough thick, and beat it 
well on both sides with the rolling-pin. Then roll it thin, 
and cut;it into square cakes, notching the edges with a 
knife. Put them into a shallow pan slightly buttered, 
(taking care not to place them too near, lest they run into 
each other,) and bake them a light brown. 

You may mix into the dougb two table-spoonfuls of 
carraway seeds. 



MOLASSES BREAD CAKE.— On a bread-making 
day, when the wheat-bread has risen perfectly light and 
is cracked on the surface, take as much of the dough as 
will fill a quart bowl, and place it in a broad pan. Cut 
up a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and set it over 
the fire to warm and soften, but do not let it melt to an 
oil. When quite soft, mix with it half a pint of West 
India molasses, a small table -spoonful of powdered cinna- 
mon, and the finely-grated yellow rind of a large orange 
or lemon ; adding also the juice. Have ready three 
eggs, well beaten, and add them gradually to the mix- 
ture. It must form a lump of soft dough ; but not too 
thin to knead with your hands. Knead it well on the 
paste-board for a quarter of an hour. Butter some tin 
pans ; put an equal portion of the dough into each ; 
cover them ; and set them in a warm but not a hot place 
for a quarter of an hour before baking. Then bake the 
cakes well. Instead of small pans you may bake the 
whole of the dough in one large one. This cake should 
be eaten the day it is baked ; fresh but not warm. All i 
sweet cakes in which yeast is an ingredient are best and 
most wholesome when fresh, as the next day they become 
hard, dry, and comparatively heavy. 



CAKES, ETC. 229 

BREAD MUFFINS.— Take some bread dough that 
has risen as light as possible, and knead into it some well- 
beaten egg in the proportion of two eggs to about a pound 
of dough. Then mix in a tea-spoonful of soda that has 
been dissolved in a very little lukewarm water. Let the 
dough stand in a warm place for a quarter of an hour. 
Then bake it in muffin-rings. You can thus, with very- 
little trouble, have muffins for tea whenever you bake 
bread in the afternoon. 



TO FRESHEN CAKES.— Cakes when stale may 
be much improved, if about an hour before they are 
wanted for tea, you enclose them in a circular ivooden 
box with a tight-fitting lid, and place it on the marble 
hearth before a good coal fire ; but not so close as to be 
in danger of scorching the box, which must be turned 
round, occasionally, so as to receive the heat equally on 
all sides. A tin or stone-ware box will not answer at all 
for this purpose, being too cold. If you burn wood-fires, 
set the box with the cake into a plate-warmer, or place 
it on a tall skillet, so as to be out of the way of coals or 
ashes falling on it, should the sticks break on the fire. 



20 



230 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 



GOOSEBERRY CHAMPAGNE.— Take large, fine 
gooseberries, that are full-grown, but not yet beginning 
to turn red ; and pick off their tops and tails. Then 
weigh the fruit, and allow a gallon of clear, soft water to 
every three pounds of gooseberries. Put them into a 
large, clean tub; pour on a little of the water; pound 
and mash them, thoroughly, with a wooden beetle ; add 
the remainder of the water, and give the whole a hard 
stirring. Cover the tub with a cloth, and let it stand feur 
days ; stirring it frequently and thoroughly, to the bot- 
tom. Then strain the liquid, through a coarse linen 
cloth, into another vessel ; and to each gallon of liquid 
add four pounds of fine loaf-sugar; and to every five 
gallons a quart of the best and clearest French brandy. 
Mix the whole well together; and put it into a clean 
cask, that will just hold it, as it should be filled full. 
Place the cask on its side, in a cool, dry part of the cel- 
lar ; and lay the bung loosely on the top. Secure the 
cask firmly in its place, so that it cannot, by any chance, 
be shaken or moved ; as the least disturbance will injure 
the wine. Let it work for a fortnight, or more ; till the 
fermentation is quite over, and the hissing has ceased. 
Then bottle it; driving in the corks tightly. Lay the 
bottles on their sides. In six months, it will be fit for 
drinking, and will be found as brisk as real champagne. 

GREEN CURRANT WINE.— The currants must 
be full-grown, but not yet beginning to redden. Strip 
them from the stems ; weigh them ; and to every three 
pounds allow a gallon of soft water. Mash them well, and 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 231 

proceed exactly as in the receipt for gooseberry cham- 
pagne ; except that yon may use the best light-coloured 
brown sugar, instead of loaf. Instead of bottling it, as soon 
as it has done fermenting, you may, whenever the hissing 
is over, put in the bung tightly ; and let the wine remain 
in the cask. In six months, it will be fit for drinking. 



PEACH WINE.— Take eight pounds of ripe, juicy, 
free-stone peaches, of the best kind. Slice them into 
two gallons of soft water ; and add five pounds of loaf- 
sugar, broken small. Crack all the stones ; extract the 
kernels ; break them up ; and lay them in the bottom of 
a clean tub. Put the peaches, with the dissolved sugar, 
into a kettle ; and boil and skim it, until the scum ceases 
to rise. Then strain it, through a large sieve, into the 
tub that has the kernels in the bottom. Stir all well 
together, and cover it close ly till it grows quite cool. 
Then put in a large slice of toasted bread, covered all 
over wnh strong, fresh yeast. Leave it to ferment ; and, 
when the fermentation is over, strain it into a keg, and 
add a bottle of muscadel or sweet malaga wine. Let it 
stand six months. Then draw off a little in a glass, and, 
if it is not quite clear, take out a pint of the wine ; mix 
with it an ounce of powdered gum-arabic ; dissolve it in 
a slow heat ; and then add an ounce of powdered chalk. 
When they are dissolved, return the pint of wine to the 
keg, stirring it in, lightly, with a stick ; but taking care 
not to let the stick go down to the bottom, lest it should 
disturb the lees, or sediment. Let it stand three days 
longer, and then bottle it. It will be fit for use in 
another six months. 

Apricot wine may be made in the same manner. 

DOMESTIC FRONTINIAC— Put into a large ket- 
tle, twelve pounds of broken-up loaf-sugar ; and pour on 



232 

it six gallons of clear, soft water, and let the sugar dis- 
solve. Take seven pounds of the best raisins, and chop 
them small, having first removed the seeds. Mix the 
raisins with the dissolved sugar ; set the kettle over the 
fire, and let it boil for an hour, skimming it well. Have 
ready half a peck of full-blown elder-blossoms, gathered 
just before they are ready to fall from the branches. 
Take the kettle from the fire ; pour the liquor into a 
clean tub ; and as soon as it has cooled, (so as to be 
merely lukewarm,) stir in the elder-flowers. Cover it 
closely. Next day, add six large table-spoonfuls of 
lemon-syrup, and four of strong, fresh yeast. After the 
wine has fermented two days, strain it into a clean cask ; 
and, after it has stood two months, bottle it. Next sum- 
mer, it will be in fine order for drinking, and will be 
found a delicious wine ; very similar to the real Fron- 
tiniac. 



MORELLA WINE.— Take a sufficiency of large, 
fine morella cherries. They must all be perfectly ripe, 
and free from blemish. Extract the stones ; carefully 
saving all the juice. Return it to the cherries ; put 
them into a clean tub ; and let them stand, in a cold 
place, undisturbed, till next morning. Then mash and 
press them through a cullender, or sieve, or put them 
into a thin linen bag, and squeeze out all the juice ; 
then measure it. To every quart of juice, allow a large 
half-pound of fine loaf-sugar, and mix them well together, 
in a clean cask. Crack the stones ; tie them up in a 
thin bag ; and suspend the bag in the cask, in the midst 
of the liquor. Leave it to ferment ; and, when the fer- 
mentation ceases, stop it closely. Let it stand four 
months, leaving the bag of cherry-stones in the cask. 
Then bottle it, and in three months it will be fit to drink. 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 233 

DOMESTIC TOKAY.— Take fine grapes, that are 
all perfectly ripe ; pick them carefully from the stalks, 
omitting all that are blemished ; put them into a large 
hair sieve, placed over a large, deep pan, or a clean tub. 
Mash the grapes, with your hand, squeezing and press- 
ing out all the juice. To every quart of juice, allow a 
pound of sultana raisins, chopped small, or of bloom rai- 
sins, seeded and chopped. Let the grape-juice and 
raisins stand twelve days ; stirring it twice or three times 
every day. Then strain the liquor into a cask ; but do 
not stop it closely till after three days. Let it stand 
eight months ; then bottle it. If it is not clear, take out 
a pint of the wine ; mix with it half an ounce of isinglass, 
shaved fine, or an ounce of powdered gum-arabic. Set 
it in a warm place, and, when dissolved, add an ounce of 
fine chalk. This will be sufficient to fine a barrel of 
wine. Stir it lightly into the rest. Let it stand three or 
four days, and then bottle it. 



BLACKBERRY WINE.— The blackberries must all 
be full ripe, and without blemish. Measure them ; and 
to every quart of fruit allow a quart of clear, soft water. 
Boil the water by itself. Put the blackberries into a 
clean tub, and mash them with a wooden beetle, or a 
mallet. When the water has boiled, pour it on the 
blackberries, and let it stand, till next morning, in a cool 
place, stirring it occasionally. Then press out all the 
juice, measure it, and to every quart of liquid allow half 
a pound of sugar. Put the sugar into a cask, and strain 
the liquid upon it, through a linen bag. Stir it fre- 
quently, till the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Let the 
cask remain unstopped, till the liquor has done working. 
Then add half an ounce of isinglass, or an ounce of gum- 
arabic, dissolved in a little hot water. You may substi- 
tute, for the isinglass, or gum-arabic, the beaten whites of 
20* 



234 

four eggs. Keep it open till next day. Then bung it. 
It may be bottled in two months. 

Raspbeny wine may be made as above. 

Black currant wine, also. 



ROSOLIS. — Put four pounds of the best loaf-sugar 
into a large porcelain kettle ; and pour on it three quarts 
of water. When it has melted, set it over the fire, and 
boil and skim it, till the scum ceases to rise. Then add 
the whites of three eggs, whisked to a froth; and put in 
the shells also, broken small. Let it again come to a boil. 
Then take it off the fire ; and, when it is only lukewarm, 
throw in a quart of fresh rose-leaves, stirring them well 
through the liquid. Cover the vessel, and let it stand till 
next day, till the fragrance of the roses is extracted. 
Then remove the first rose-leaves, with a skimmer, and 
put into it a second, and, afterwards, a third supply. 
When the syrup has a fine rose-flavour, strain it through 
a linen bag. If not perfectly clear, filter it through blot- 
ting-paper, pinned inside the bottom of a sieve. Then 
add half a pint of spirits of wine, that has been coloured 
red, by infusing in it some alkanet root, tied up in a thin 
muslin bag. Bottle the mixture ; and it will be a deli- 
cate liqueur. Instead of rose-leaves, you may flavour it 
immediately, by stirring in a large portion of extract of 
roses. 

This liqueur can be made very conveniently, where 
there is a garden abounding in roses. 



HIPPOCRAS. — Put into a jar a quart of the best 
port wine. Beat, separately, in a mortar, a quarter of an 
ounce of cinnamon, two nutmegs, twelve blades of mace, 
and a tea-spoonful of coriander seeds. Then mix them 
all together ; and put them into the wine. Add the yel- 
low rind of four large lemons, pared thin, and their juice, 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 235 

mixed with half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Cover 
the vessel closely, and let it infuse a week, or more. 
Then strain the liquid through a linen bag, and bottle it. 

PERSICOT. — Blanch, in scalding water, a pound and 
a half of bitter almonds, and pound them in a mortar, till 
they are broken very small. Then put them into two 
quarts of the best French white brandy. Let them re- 
main twenty-four hours in the brandy ; shaking the 
mixture frequently. Boil one quart of rich milk ; and, 
when it has boiled, take it off the fire, and mix with it 
two pounds of white sugar-candy, pounded fine. Then 
mix the whole together, almonds, brandy, milk, and 
sugar-candy ; and let it stand for a week or two, or 
till very highly flavoured ; shaking or stirring it fre- 
quently. Afterwards strain it through a linen bag, and 
bottle it. Drink it from small liqueur-glasses, with a bit 
of ice in each. 



NECTAR. — Take a pound of the best raisins, seeded 
and chopped ; four lemons, sliced thin, and the yellow rind 
pared off from two other lemons ; and two pounds of pow- 
dered loaf-sugar. Put into a porcelain preserving-kettle 
two gallons of water. Set it over the fire, and boil it half 
an hour. Then, while the water is boiling hard, put in 
the raisins, lemons, and sugar; and continue the boiling 
for ten minutes. Pour the mixture into a vessel with a 
close cover, and let it stand four days ; stirring it twice 
a-day. Then strain it through a linen bag, and bottle it. 
It will be fit for use in a fortnight. Drink it from wine- 
glasses, with a small bit of ice in each. 

MINT JULEP.— Put into the bottom of a tumbler, 
about a dozen sprigs of young and tender mint. Upon 
them place a large tea-spoonful of fine white sugar ; and 



286 the lady's receipt-book. 

then pour on peach-brandy, so as to reach nearly one- 
third the height of the tumbler. Fill up with ice, 
pounded fine ; and lay on the top a thin slice of pine- 
apple, cut across into four pieces. As an ornament, stick 
into the centre a handsome cluster of mint-sprigs, so as to 
rise far above the edge of the tumbler. It will be the 
better for standing awhile, in a vessel of finely-broken ice. 



VANILLA SYRUP.— Take six vanilla beans; split 
and cut them in pieces ; scrape out the seeds, for when 
loosened from the shells they will emit more flavour. 
Bruise and mash the shells j and then put them, with the 
seeds, into a quart of inodorous alcohol, which must not 
be of the strongest sort, or it will overpower the taste of the 
vanilla. Cork the bottle closely, and let it infuse three 
days. Then strain the liquid through a very fine strainer, 
and transfer it to a clean bottle, corking it well. Have 
ready half a dozen pint-bottles of simple syrup, made 
in the proportion of half a pint of water to every pound 
of sugar, which must be the best double-refined ', boiled 
half an hour, and then strained through linen. Into 
each bottle put sufficient of the vanilla infusion to flavour 
the syrup very highly ; and keep the remaining vanilla 
(closely corked) for further use. 

Vanilla syrup is excellent for flavouring charlotte russe, 
custards, &c. Also to mix with soda-water. 



ORANGE MILK.— Take two dozen large ripe 
oranges. Cut them in two; remove the seeds; and 
squeeze the juice into a very large and clean stone jar. 
Never use earthen-ware, to hold any thing acid, as the 
lead glazing may produce the most deleterious effects. 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 237 

Have ready four pounds of the finest loaf-sugar, dissolved 
in a gallon of the best rum or brandy. Pour it into the 
jar that contains the orange-juice ; stir the mixture well; 
and add the yellow rind of the oranges, cut into little slips. 
Cover the jar, and let it stand four days ; stirring it fre- 
quently. Then take a gallon of new, unskimmed milk, 
(the morning's milk of that day,) boil it, and, when it has 
come to a hard boil, pour it, hot, into the mixture. Cover 
it closely, and let it stand till it gets quite cold. Then 
strain it into another vessel, through a linen jelly-bag. 
Bottle it immediately, and seal the corks. It improves 
by keeping, and will continue good for many years. 

To use it, mix a sufficient quantity, in a tumbler, with 
ice-water ; or take it, undiluted, in a small cordial glass. 

ORANGE SYRUP.— Take large fine ripe oranges, 
with smooth thin rinds, and roll each orange under your 
hand upon the table to increase the juice. Set a very 
clean sieve upon a large bowl, and cut the oranges over 
it ; first halving them, and then notching each half to let 
out as much juice as possible when squeezing them. 
Press them with all your strength in a wooden squeezer, 
letting the juice drain through the sieve into the bowl. 
To each pint of juice allow a pound and a half (a quart 
and a pint) of the best double-refined loaf-sugar broken 
up. Put the sugar into a preserving-kettle; pour the 
juice upon it ; cover it, and let it stand till all the sugar 
is quite soft, and can be easily mixed with the juice. 
Next set the kettle over a moderate fire that has no blaze 
or smoke, and boil it slowly ; skimming it carefully till 
the scum ceases to rise. Then take it off, remove the 
syrup from the kettle, and when it is milk-warm, put it 
into very clean bottles, (new ones will be best,) cork them 
tightly, and seal the corks. Keep it in a dry, cool place. 
It is very fine for flavouring cakes, puddings, sweet 



238 the lady's receipt-book. 

sauces, &c. Or for mixing with ice-water as a pleasant 
beverage. Also for ice-cream or water-ice, when oranges 
are not to be had. Or for mixing with powdered sugar 
to make the confection called orange-drops. Some per- 
sons, to increase the strength of orange syrup, add the 
yellow rind of the oranges grated on lumps of the sugar. 
This will do very well if the syrup is to bemused up soon. 
But by long keeping, the peel will give it a very disa- 
greeable taste and odour, resembling turpentine ; unfitting 
it for all purposes. 

Lemon syrup may be made as above. To this the 
addition of the yellow rind of the lemons grated on sugar 
will be an improvement ; as lemon rind never acquires a 
turpentine taste. 

IMITATION LEMON SYRUP.— Break up twelve 
pounds of the best double-refined loaf-sugar. Put it into 
a preserving-kettle, and pour on it a gallon of very clear 
soft water. When it has dissolved set it over a moderate 
fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. 
Then take it off, and stir in immediately, while the syrup 
is hot, one large table-spoonful of the best oil of lemon, 
and a quarter of an ounce of tartaric acid. When cold, 
bottle the liquid, and cork it tightly. The bottles for this 
purpose should either be quite new, or such as have been 
used before for lemon syrup. Mixed with ice-water it is 
a wholesome and refreshing beverage, and if you stir 
into a half tumbler of the mixture a half tea-spoonful, or 
more, of carbonate of soda, it will foam up, and be just like 
the soda-water you buy in the shops at six cents per glass. 
The above is the lemon syrup generally used for this 
purpose by the druggists and confectioners. 



CARBONATED SYRUP WATER.— Put into a 
tumbler lemon, raspberry, strawberry, pine-apple, or any 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. - 239 

other acid syrup, sufficient in quantity to flavour the 
beverage very highly. Then pour in very cold ice-water 
till the glass is half full. Add half a tea-spoonful of bi- 
carbonate of soda, (to be obtained at the druggists',) and 
stir it well in with a tea-spoon. It will foam up to the 
top immediately, and must be drank during the efferves- 
cence. 

By keeping the syrup, and the carbonate of soda in the 
house, and mixing them as above with ice-water, you 
can at any time have a glass of this very pleasant drink ; 
precisely similar to that which you get at the shops. 
The cost will be infinitely less. 



FINE RASPBERRY CORDIAL.— Fill a large stone 
jar with ripe raspberries. Cover the jar closely, and let 
it stand in a corner of the hearth near the fire, or on the 
lop of a stove, till the fruit is heated so as to break. Then 
put the raspberries into a linen bag, and squeeze the juice 
into a pan beneath. Measure the juice, and to every 
quart allow a pound of loaf-sugar, broken very small. Do 
not use the white sugar that is sold ready-powdered ; it 
is generally so adulterated with pulverized starch, as to 
be unfit for any thing that is to be set away for keeping. 
Put the juice and sugar (well mixed) into a preserving- 
kettle. Give it a boil, and skim it well. When it has 
come to a boil, and the scum has ceased to appear, take 
off the kettle ; measure the liquid ; and pour it carefully 
into a large vessel ; allowing an equal quantity of the best 
French brandy. Stir it well, and when cold, put it into 
a demijohn, or a large stone jug, and cork it tightly. Let 
it stand undisturbed a fortnight; then, if it is not per- 
fectly clear, filter it through blotting-paper pinned inside 
the bottom of a sieve. Bottle it, and seal the corks. In- 
stead of brandy, you may use the best Jamaica spirits. 



240 

Currant or cherry cordial may be made in the above 
manner : first stoning all the cherries, which should be 
fully ripe, and of the largest and best kind ; either red or 
black, or a mixture of both. The flavour will be much 
improved by cracking the stones, and putting them into 
the demijohn before you pour on the liquid. 

Peach cordial, also, may be made as above. The 
peaches should be fine, ripe, juicy free-stones ; cut in 
pieces, and the stones removed. Afterwards, crack the 
stones, and put the kernJs (broken up) into the bottom 
of the demijohn, to infuse with the liquid. 

FINE RASPBERRY VINEGAR.— Put a sufficient 
quantity of ripe raspberries into a large wooden or stone 
vessel, and pour on as much of the best genuine white 
wine vinegar as will cover them well. Cover the vessel, 
and let it stand undisturbed during twenty-four hours ; or 
longer, if the juice is not entirely extracted ; when it is, 
the raspberries will look whitish and shrunk. You must, 
on no account, bruise or stir them. Then strain the whole 
liquid through a large hair sieve placed over a broad 
stone pan. Let the juice run through of itself, without 
any mashing or squeezing. The least pressing will cause 
the liquid, when finished, to look cloudy and dull. Have 
ready, in another vessel, the same quantity of fresh rasp- 
berries that you put in at first ; and pour the strained 
liquid over them. Cover it, and let it again stand undis- 
turbed for twenty-four hours or more. Then again pass 
it through a sieve, without any squeezing. A third time 
pour the liquid over the original quantity of fresh rasp- 
berries in another vessel, and let it stand untouched 
during twenty-four hours. Afterwards measure the 
liquid, and to every pint allow a pound of the best double- 
refined loaf-sugar, broken small. Put the whole into a 
large preserving-kettle, and boil and skim it about twenty 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 241 

minutes. Then pour it into a clean stone vessel, and set 
it to cool. Cover it, and let it stand all night. Next 
day, transfer it to bottles, which must be perfectly dry 
and clean. Cork them closely, and seal the corks. It 
will keep for years if made exactly according to the above 
directions. 

To use it as a beverage, put a large wine-glass of the 
raspberry vinegar into a tumbler, and fill it up with ice- 
water. Mixed with hot water, and drank as warm as 
possible immediately on going to bed, it is an excellent 
palliative for a cold; and, by producing a perspiration, 
will sometimes effect a cure. 



FRENCH RASPBERRY VINEGAR. —Take a suf- 
ficiency of fine ripe raspberries. Put them into a deep 
pan, and mash them with a wooden beetle. Then pour 
them, with all their juice, into a large linen bag, and 
squeeze and press out the liquid into a vessel beneath. 
Measure it ; and to each quart of the raspberry-juice allow 
a pound of powdered white sugar, and a pint of the best 
cider vinegar. First mix together the juice and the 
vinegar, and give them a boil in a preserving-kettle. 
When they have boiled well, add gradually the sugar, 
with a beaten white of egg to every two pounds ; and 
boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. When done, 
put it into clean bottles, and cork them tightly. It is a 
very pleasant and cooling beverage in warm weather, and 
for invalids who are feverish. To use it, pour out half a 
tumbler of raspberry vinegar, and fill it up with ice-water. 

It is a good palliative for a cold, mixed with hot water, 
and taken as hot as possible immediately on going to bed, 
so as to produce perspiration. 



GOOD VINEGAR.— Take five gallons of soft, clear 
water, two quarts of whisky, two quarts of the best West 
21 






242 

India molasses, and half a pint of the best fresh yeast. 
Lay a sheet of white foolscap paper at the bottom of a 
very clean keg, and pour in the mixture. Place it in the 
sun the first warm weather at the close of May, or begin- 
ning of June. In six weeks it will be fit for use. Put 
in the bung loosely, and do not stop it tight till the fer- 
mentation is over. If you make it in winter, keep it in a 
place where there is a stove or furnace. 

Much of the vinegar that is offered for sale is exces- 
sively and disagreeably sharp ; overpowering the taste of 
every thing with which it is combined. This vinegar is 
deleterious in its effects, and should never be used ; it is 
made entirely of drugs. Oysters and pickled vegetables 
have been entirely destroyed or eaten up by it in a few 
hours, so that nothing was left but a whitish liquid. To 
avoid all risk from the unwholesome vinegar offered for 
sale, families would do well to make their own. A keg 
of hard cider kept in a warm kitchen in winter, and ex- 
posed to the hot sun in summer, will become excellent 
vinegar. 



COMMON MOLASSES VINEGAR.— Mix together 
a gallon of West India molasses, and four gallons of luke- 
warm water. Pour it into a clean five-gallon cask, and 
place it in the chimney-corner; standing the cask on end, 
and leaving the bung out. To give it, occasionally, some 
additional heat, set the cask in the mouth of the oven on 
baking-days, after the bread is drawn, and let it remain 
while the oven continues warm. In three months it will 
be excellent and wholesome vinegar, at a very trifling 
cost, — only that of the gallon of molasses. When the 
liquid is sufficiently acid, stop the bung-hole closely, and 
remove the cask to a cool place. In summer, you may 
make this vinegar by letting the cask stand three or four 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 243 

months exposed to the hot sun ; taking care to cover the 
bung-hole in damp or rainy weather. 

APPLE-WATER.— Take three large, juicy pippin 
apples ; pare, core, and cut them into very thin slices. 
Put them into a pitcher, (the yellow rind of a lemon, 
pared thin, will be an improvement,) and pour on a pint 
of boiling water. Cover the pitcher closely, and let it 
stand four hours. Then pour the liquid into a glass, and 
sweeten it with loaf-sugar. 

This is a cooling drink in a fever. 



TOAST- WATER.— Take thin slices of wheat bread, 
and toast it very brown on both sides, but do not let it 
burn or blacken. Put the toast into a pitcher that has 
straining holes at the spout, and pour over it, from a tea- 
kettle, as much boiling water as you wish to make into 
drink. The water must be actually boiling at the time. 
Cover the pitcher, and let it stand till the water is cold. 
Then pour it off into a decanter. Made in this way, 
toast-water is very wholesome and refreshing, and is fre- 
quently drank at table by persons in health, as well as by 
invalids. __^___ 

AN EXCELLENT WAY OF MAKING COFFEE. 
— For this purpose you should have a percolator, or 
coffee-pot with strainers inside. The coffee will be much 
stronger and better, if roasted and ground just before it is 
put in the pot. There are no coffee-roasters so good as 
those of sheet-iron, made somewhat in the form of a 
large long candle-box ; standing before the fire on feet ; 
and turned round by a handle, so as to give all the coffee 
that is inside an equal chance of heat. When about 
half done, put among the coffee a piece of fresh butter. 
It should be roasted evenly throughout, of a fine brown 



244 the lady's receipt-book. 

colour, and not allowed to blacken or burn. Grind it 
while warm ; and put into the percolator a sufficient 
quantity of coffee, placing it between the two strainers. 
Then (having stopped up the spout) pour into the upper 
strainer a due proportion of cold water ; allowing a quart 
of water to half a pint or more of ground coffee. Cold 
water is now found to make a stronger infusion than hot 
water, as there is less evaporation, and none of the 
strength of the coffee is carried off in steam. As soon as 
the water is all in, put on the lid closely, and set away 
the pot. It is well to put the coffee to infuse over night, 
if wanted for breakfast ; and in the morning, if required 
for evening. But, when necessary, it may be done in a 
much shorter time. A little before the coffee is to go to 
table, lift off the upper half of the percolator, (the part 
that contains the strainers,) transfer the lid to the lower 
part ; set the pot over the fire, and give it one boil up — 
not more. As soon as it has come to a boil it is ready 
for drinking; being already strained, and drawn. It will 
be found clear, strong, and in all respects superior to that 
prepared in any other manner. A short boil is sufficient 
to take off all taste of rawness. Long boiling weakens 
coffee, and frequently turns it sour. 

The above method will, we are confident, be highly 
approved on trial. Also, it saves the expense of isinglass, 
white of egg, and other articles generally used in clear- 
ing coffee. Percolators for making coffee in this manner, 
can be obtained of all sizes at the large tin manufactory 
of Messrs. Williams & Co., 276 Market street, between 
Seventh and Eighth streets, Philadelphia. 

A china or metal coffee-pot should always be scalded 
twice before coffee is transferred to it, from the vessel in 
which it has been made. 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 245 

COCOA. — The cocoa which is put up solid in close 
packages, and usually sold at a shilling a paper, is far 
superior to the chocolate that is manufactured into squares 
or cakes, and which is too frequently adulterated with 
lard and meal. Baker's prepared cocoa is excellent. 
When you intend having it for drinking, shave down, or 
cut fine a sufficient quantity of the cocoa ; allowing about 
half the contents of a paper to a quart of water, if you 
wish it very strong, and three pints of water for moderate 
strength. Then put the cocoa into a clean sauce-pan or 
a tin pot with a spout. Measure the water from a kettle 
that is boiling hard at the time ; and when you have the 
proper quantity pour it scalding hot on the cocoa. Cover 
it closely ; place it over the fire ; and let it boil till it is 
all dissolved into the same consistence, and quite smooth, 
and free from the smallest lumps. While boiling, you 
must several times take off the lid, and with a spoon stir 
the cocoa down to the bottom. Then transfer it to your 
chocolate pot, which must be twice scalded with boiling 
water. Send it to table as hot as. possible, adding milk 
and sugar to the cups when poured out. Eat with it 
dry toast ; unbuffered rolls ; milk-biscuit ; or sponge-cake. 

TO KEEP ORANGE-JUICE.— The oranges must 
be large and ripe. To increase the quantity of juice, 
roll each orange under your hand on a table, or with your 
foot upon a clean hearth-stone. Then cut them in half, 
and score each half with four deep notches, so that when 
squeezed the juice may run out more freely. Squeeze 
them through a strainer into a large bowl. To each pint 
of juice allow a pound of the best loaf-sugar, broken 
small. Cover the bowl, and let it stand undisturbed all 
night. In the morning remove all the scum that has 
risen to the surface, and pour the liquid through a funnel 
into clean, well-dried pint bottles ; into each of which 
21* 



246 the lady's receipt-book. 

you have previously put a table-spoonful of the best 
white brandy. Cork each bottle tightly, and tie down a 
thin wet leather closely over each cork. Keep the bot- 
tles in a dry place. You will find this preparation ex- 
cellent for flavouring, when fresh oranges are not to be 
had. 

Lemon-juice may be kept in the same manner, for 
flavouring or for punch. 



TO PRESERVE LEMON-JUICE FOR A VOY- 
AGE. — Select only the best and freshest lemons. One 
that is in the least tainted will spoil the whole. Roll 
every lemon under your hand upon a table to increase 
the juice. Then squeeze them well through a strainer. 
To every quart of juice add an ounce of cream of tartar. 
Let it stand three days, (stirring it frequently,) and then 
filter it through thin muslin pinned tightly on the bottom 
of a sieve. Put it into pint-bottles ; filling up the neck 
of each bottlb with a little of the best olive oil. The 
corks must be put in' very tightly, and then sealed. 
When you open a bottle, avoid shaking it ; and carefully 
pour off the olive oil that is on the top of the lemon- 
juice. 



FINE MEAD.—- Beat to a strong froth the whites of 
three eggs, and mix them with six gallons of water ; six- 
teen quarts of strained honey ; and the yellow rind of 
two dozen large lemons, pared very thin. Boil all 
together, during three-quarters of an hour ; skimming it 
well. Then put it into a tub ; and when lukewarm, add 
three table-spoonfuls of the best fresh yeast. Cover it, 
and leave it to ferment. When it has done working, 
transfer it to a barrel, with the lemon-peel in the bottom. 
Let it stand six months. Then bottle it. 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 247 

TO KEEP CIDER SWEET.— When barreling the 
cider, put into each barrel or keg a jill (eight large table- 
spoonfuls) of white mustard-seed. This will retard its 
becoming hard or sour. 

TO MAKE BOTTLED CIDER VERY BRISK.— 

When you are bottling the cider, put a large raisin into 
the bottom of each bottle before you pour in the cider. 
Then cork it tightly. 

In bottling spruce or molasses beer put in also a raisin. 



TO KEEP ORANGES AND LEMONS.— Take a 

sufficiency of fine sand, and make it very dry by expos- 
ing it to the heat of the sun or the fire, stirring it fre- 
quently. Afterwards let it become quite cold, and then 
put a quantity of it in a close box or barrel. Bury your 
oranges (which must all be perfectly good) in this sand ; 
placing them so as not to touch each other, and with the 
stem-end downwards. At the top put a thick layer of 
sand quite two inches deep. Cover the box closely, and 
keep it in a cool place. 

TO KEEP GRAPES.— See that there are no imper- 
fect grapes on any of the bunches. They must not be 
too ripe. Put in the bottom of a keg a layer of bran that 
has been dried in the sun, or in an oven, and afterwards 
become quite cold. Upon the bran, place a layer of 
grapes with bran between the bunches so that they may 
not touch each other. Proceed thus with alternate layers 
of bran and grapes till the keg is full; seeing that the last 
is a thick layer of bran. Then close the keg, nailing on 
the head so that no air can penetrate. 

Grapes may also be packed in fine wood-ashes that has 
been well sifted. 



248 

TO KEEP APPLES.— -Wipe every apple dry with 
a cloth, and see that no blemished ones are left among 
them. Have ready a very dry tight barrel, and cover the 
bottom with dry pebbles. These will attract the damp of 
the apples. Then put in the fruit; head up the barrel; 
and plaster the seams with mortar, taking care to have a 
thick rim of mortar all round the top. Let the barrel 
remain undisturbed in the same place till you want the 
apples for use. Pippins, bell-flowers, or other apples of 
the best sorts, may be kept in this way till July. 

TO KEEP CARROTS, PARSNIPS, BEETS, AND 
SWEET POTATOES.— These should all be housed 
before the first frost. Range them side by side, and bury 
them in dry sand ; a bed of sand at the bottom ; another 
between each layer of the vegetables, and a thick sand 
covering for the whole. When wanted for use, begin at 
one end, and draw them out in regular order, and not out 
of jjie middle till you come to it. 



TO KEEP FRESH BUTTER FOR FRYING, 
STEWING, &c. — Take several pounds of the very best 
fresh butter. Cut it up in a large tin sauce-pan, or in 
any clean cooking vessel lined with tin. Set it over the 
fire, and boil and skim it during half an hour. Then 
pour it off, carefully, through a funnel into a stone jar, 
and cover it closely with a bladder or leather tied down 
over the lid. The butter having thus been separated 
from the salt and sediment, (which will be found remain- 
ing at the bottom of the boiling-vessel,) if kept closely 
covered and set in a cool place, will continue good for a 
year, and be found excellent for frying, and stewing, and 
other culinary purposes. Prepare it thus in May or June 
and you may use it in winter, if living in a place where 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 249 

fresh butter is not to be obtained in cold weather. 
Try it. 



AN EASY WAY OF MAKING BUTTER IN 
WINTER.— The following will be found an excellent 
method of making butter in cold weather for family use. 
We recommend its trial. Take, in the morning, the un- 
skimmed milk of the preceding evening, (after it has 
stood all night in a tin pan,) and set it over a furnace of 
hot coals, or in a stove ; being careful not to disturb ""the 
cream that has risen to the surface. Let it remain over 
the fire till it simmers, and begins to bubble round the 
edges ; but on no account let it come to a boil. Then 
take the pan carefully off, (without disturbing the cream) 
and carry it to a cool place, but not where it is cold 
enough to freeze. In the evening, take a spoon, and 
loosen the cream round the sides of the pan. If very 
rich it will be almost a solid cake. Slip off the sheet of 
cream into another and larger pan ; letting as little milk 
go with it as possible. Cover it, and set it away. Re- 
peat the process for several days, till you have thus col- 
lected a sufficiency of clotted cream to fill the pan. Then 
scald a wooden ladle, and beat the cream hard with it 
during ten minutes. You will then have excellent but 
ter. Take it out of the pan ; lay it on a flat dish ; and 
with the ladle, squeeze and press it hard, till all the but- 
ter-milk is entirely extracted and drained off. Then 
wash the butter in cold water, and work a very little salt 
into it. Set it away in a cool place for three hours. 
Then squeeze and press it again ; also washing it a 
second time in cold water. Make it up into pats, and 
keep it in a cool place. 

The unskimmed morning's milk, of course, may also 
be used for this purpose, after it has stood twelve hours. 
The simmering over the fire adds greatly to the quantity 



250 

of cream, by throwing all the oily part of the milk to the 
surface ; but if allowed to boil, this oleaginous matter 
will again descend, and mix with the rest, so as not to be 
separated. 

This is the usual method of making winter butter in 
the south of England ; and it is very customary in the 
British provinces of America. Try it. 1 



COCHINEAL COLOURING.— Take an ounce of 
cochineal, and pound it to a fine powder. Put it into an 
earthen or porcelain vessel, that is quite clean, and en- 
tirely free from grease. Add a small salt-spoonful of 
potash, or soda, and pour in a pint of clear, soft water. 
Set it over the fire ; and, when it has come to a boil, add 
a quarter of an ounce of cream of tartar, with a quarter of 
an ounce of powdered alum ; and let it boil ten minutes. 
Then, while it is boiling hot, stir in three ounces of pow- 
dered loaf-sugar. Bottle it, when cold, and keep it closely 
corked. You can then have it always at hand, as a fine 
red colouring for icings, blanc-mange, creams, jellies, and 
other sweetmeats. 

COLOURING FOR CHEESE.— An ounce of real 
Spanish arnotta will colour fifty pounds of cheese. Tie 
up the arnotta, in a thin linen rag, and put it, over-night, 
into half a pint of warm water. In the morning, put the 
arnotta-water into the tub of milk, along with the infusion 
of rennet, indispensable in making cheese. For a deeper 
tint, dip the bag into the milk, and squeeze it as long as 
any colour runs out. 

ALKANET COLOURING.— Alkanet is now much 
used for giving a beautiful red colour to confectionary. 
It is much cheaper than cochineal, and more easily pre- 
pared. It has no peculiar taste, and no unwholesome 



DOMESTIC LIQUORS, ETC. 251 

properties. You can purchase it at any druggist's, and 
at a trifling cost. It comes in small, dark-red chips. 
Before using it, pick it clean, and see that there is none 
of the dust or powder remaining about it. Tie up some 
of the alkanet chips, in a bit of very thin, clean muslin, 
like a small bag, and let it infuse with the mixture you 
wish to colour. It either may, or may not be boiled. 



FINE RED OIL FOR LAMPS.— Infuse, for two or 

three hours, (or till the colour is well communicated,) a 
muslin bag of alkanet chips, in the clearest and best win- 
ter-strained lamp-oil. Then remove the bag of alkanet, 
(which may be used again for the same purpose,) and 
put the oil into clear glass lamps. It will be coloured of 
a beautiful red. According to the quantity of alkanet, or 
the length of time it remains steeping in the oil, 3 r ou may 
have it of different tints, from light pink to deep crimson. 
Oil thus coloured is beautiful for illuminations; ball- 
rooms ; or dispersed among the shrubbery, at a garden 
entertainment. The price of alkanet does not exceed six 
cents per ounce ; and an ounce will do a great deal of 
colouring. 

COLOURED WATER.— Slice a fresh red cabbage, 
and pour boiling water upon it. Cover it, and let it stand 
till cold. Then strain off the water, and put a portion of 
the infusion into three glasses. Pour into one glass a 
little alum-water ; into the second, a little dissolved pot- 
ash ; and into the third, a few drops of muriatic acid. 
The liquid in the first glass will be turned of a purple 
colour, by the alum-water; that in the second will be 
changed to a green, by the solution of potash ; and the 
third will assume a fine crimson, from the muriatic acid. 
This water is used by druggists, for the coloured jars in 
their shop-windows. 



252 



PEKFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 



MACASSAR OIL. — This popular and pleasant un- 
guent for the hair can [as we know) be prepared at 
home, so as to equal, in efficacy and appearance, any 
that is for sale in the shops ; and at less than one-third 
the expense. Take half an ounce of chippings of alka- 
net root, which may be bought at a druggist's, for a few 
cents. Divide this quantity into two portions, and having 
cleared away any dust that may be about the alkanet, 
put each portion of the chips into a separate bit of new 
bobbinet, or very clear muslin. In tying it, use white 
thread, or fine white cotton cord ; as a coloured string may 
communicate a dirty tinge to the oil. Put these little 
bags into a large glass tumbler, or a straight-sided 
white-ware jar, and pour on half a pint of the best fresh 
olive oil. Cover the vessel, and leave it undisturbed, for 
several days, or a week ; taking care not to shake or stir 
it ; and do not press or squeeze the bags. Have ready 
some small, flat-bottomed phials, or one large one, that 
will hold half a pint. Take out carefully the bags of 
alkanet, and lay them on a saucer. You will find that 
they have coloured the oil a bright, beautiful crimson. 
The bags will serve a second time for the same purpose. 
Put into the bottom of each phial a small quantity of any 
pleasant perfume ; such as oil of orange-flowers ; jessa- 
mine ; rose; carnation; bergamot ; oil of rhodium; oil of 
ambergris ; or oil of cloves, mixed with a little tincture of 
musk. Then fill up each phial with the coloured oil, 
poured in through a small funnel ; and, corking them 
tightly, tie a piece of white kid leather over the top. 

To use macassar oil, (observing never to shake the 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 253 

bottle,) pour a little into a saucer, and, with your finger, 
rub it through the roots of the hair. 

ANTIQUE OIL.— -This is a fine oil for the hair. 
Mix together, in a clean glass vessel, half a pint of oil of 
sweet almonds, and half a pint of the best olive oil. 
Then scent it with any sort of perfume. 

To give it the colour and odour of roses, infuse, in the 
mixed oil, a small, thin muslin bag of alkanet chips, and 
set it in a warm place, till coloured of a beautiful pink. 
Then remove the bag of alkanet, and perfume the oil with 
ottar of roses. Put it immediately into a bottle, and cork 
it well. 

For a violet perfume, infuse, in the above quantity of 
the mixed oils, an ounce of the best orris powder. Let it 
stand, in a warm place, for a week ; then pour the whole 
into a strainer, press out the liquid, and bottle it. 

For an orange perfume, scent the oil with essence of 
neroli, or orange-flowers. 

For jasmine, with extract of jasmine. 

For bergamot, with essence of bergamot. 



OIL OF CASSIA.— Put into a wide-mouthed glass 
vessel, an ounce of ground cassia. Heat three ounces of 
the best oil of cloves ; and, while warm, pour it on the 
cassia. Cover it closely, and let it stand a week. Then 
press it through a sieve, placed over a bowl. Transfer 
it to small bottles, and cork them closely. It is a fine 
perfume. To weaken it, add a little inodorous alcohol, 
which, on inquiring for, you can obtain at the druggists'. 



MILLEFLEURS PERFUME.— Mix together an 
ounce of oil of lavender ; an ounce of essence of lemon ; 
an ounce and a quarter of oil of ambergris ; and half an 
ounce of oil of carraway. Add half a pint of alcohol, or 

22 



254 

spirits of wine, which should be of the inodorous sort. 
Shake all well together. Let it stand a week, closely- 
corked, in a large bottle. You may then divide it in 
small bottles. 

By mixing this perfume with equal quantities of olive 
oil, and oil of sweet almonds, instead of alcohol, you 
will have what is called millefleurs antique oil, which 
is used to improve the hair of young persons. 



FRENCH HUNGARY WATER.— Take two large 
handfuls of the flowers and young leaves of rosemary ; 
with a handful of lavender-blossoms ; half a handful of 
thyme-blossoms; and half a handful of sage. Mix them 
well ; put them into a large glass jar or bottle, and pour 
on a quart of inodorous spirits of wine. Then put in, as 
a colouring, some small bits of alkanet tied in a thin mus- 
lin bag. Cork the bottle closely, and shake it about for 
a while. Let it infuse during a month, exposed to the 
heat of the sun. Then strain it, and transfer it to smaller 

bottles. 

— * — 

FINE LAVENDER WATER.— Mix together, in a 
clean bottle, a pint of inodorous spirit of wine ; an ounce 
of oil of lavender ; a tea-spoonful of oil of bergamot ; and 
a table-spoonful of oil of ambergris. 



BERGAMOT WATER.— Melt a pound of the best 
broken-up loaf-sugar in a pint of water ; add the yellow 
rind of six lemons or oranges, pared very thin. Set it 
over the fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to 
rise. Then add the juice of the lemons or oranges ; hav- 
ing squeezed it through a strainer into a bowl. After 
stirring in the juice, take the syrup from the fire, remove 
the pieces of rind, and stir in a tea-spoonful of genuine 
essence of bergamot. Bottle it, and it will be immediately 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 255 

fit for drinking. Pour some of it into a glass, and add a 
little ice-water. It will be found very fine. 



TO PERFUME SOAP.— -Take half a pound or more 
of the best white soap. Shave it down with a knife. 
Put the shavings into a clean white-ware jar ; cover the 
top closely, and secure the cover by tying down a cloth 
over it. Set it into a large kettle or sauce-pan of hot 
water. The water must not come up near the top of the 
jar. It is well to place a trivet in the bottom of the ket- 
tle for the jar to stand on, so that a portion of the water 
may go under it. Place the kettle over the fire, or in a 
hot stove, and keep it boiling hard, till the soap in the jar 
within is thoroughly dissolved. It must become liquid 
all through, and have no lumps in it. Stir it well when 
done ; and add, while warm, a sufficient portion of any 
nice perfume to scent it highly. For instance, oil of bit- 
ter almonds ; extract of verbena ; tincture- of musk, or 
ambergris; oil of rhodium; oil of bergamot, lavender, 
jessamine, rose, cinnamon, cloves, &c. Having well 
stirred in the perfume, transfer the melted soap to galli- 
cups, or little square tin-pans, and set it away to cool and 
harden. Afterwards, take out the cakes of soap, and 
wrap each cake closely in soft paper. Put them away 
where the air cannot reach them. 



COLUMBIAN SOAP.— Blanch, in scalding water, 
two ounces of bitter almonds. Beat them in a mortar 
with an ounce of gum camphor, till completely mixed ; 
putting in, with every almond, a morsel of the camphor. 
Then beat in an ounce and a quarter of tincture of benja- 
min, and remove the mixture to a bowl. Afterwards, 
having shaved down a pound of the best white soap, beat 
that also in the mortar ; mixing with it, gradually, as you 
proceed, the above ingredients, till the whole is thoroughly 



256 the lady's receipt-book. 

incorporaied. Divide it into equal portions, and roll it 
with your hands into the form of balls. This soap will 
be found very fine. 

If you wish to have it in cakes, after you have shaved 
down the white soap, put it into a clean jar, cover it, and 
set the jar into a pot of boiling water, placed over the fire. 
When the soap is melted, remove it from the fire ; and 
when it begins to coo], (but is still liquid,) stir in the 
other ingredients that have been mixed together as above. 
Then mould it in little square tin pans, and set it to cool. 
When quite cold, take it out of the pan, and wrap each 
cake in paper. ' 

GOOD TOOTH-POWDER.— Procure, at a druggist's, 
half an ounce of powdered orris-root, half an ounce of 
prepared chalk finely pulverized, and two or three small 
lumps of dutch pink. Let them all be mixed in a mortar, 
and pounded together. The dutch pink is to impart a 
pale reddish colour. Keep it in a close box. 

ANOTHER TOOTH-POWDER.— Mix together, in 
a mortar, half an ounce of red Peruvian bark, finely pow- 
dered ; a quarter of an ounce of powdered myrrh ; and a 
quarter of an ounce of prepared chalk. 



PARCHMENT GLUE.— Take half a pound of clean 
parchment cuttings, and boil it in three quarts of soft wa- 
ter till reduced to one pint. Then strain it from the dregs, 
and boil it again, till of the consistence of strong glue. 



LIP GLUE. — Take of isinglass and parchment glue, 
of each one ounce ; sugar-candy and gum tragacanth, 
each two drachms. Boil them in an ounce of water, till 
the mixture is of the consistence of thick glue. When 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 257 

cold, roll it between your hands, till you get it into the 
form of small sticks, like sealing-wax. 

By wetting it with your tongue, and rubbing the mois- 
tened end of the stick on the edges of the paper that you 
wish to unite, it will, when dry, form a firm cement. A 
stick of lip-glue is very convenient to take with you when 
travelling, in case you should have occasion for some sort 
of paste. 

PERPETUAL PASTE.—Buy, at a druggist's, an 
ounce of the best gum tragacanth, (the whitest is 
best,) and six cents' worth of powdered corrosive sub- 
limate. Pick the gum tragacanth clean, and put it into 
a wide-mouthed glass or white-ware vessel, that will hold 
a quart. Add as much corrosive sublimate as will lie on 
a five-cent piece. Pour on a pint and a half of clear cold f 
soft water. Cover the vessel, and let it stand till next 
day. The gum tragacanth will then be much swelled, 
and nearly to the top of the vessel. Stir it down to the 
bottom with a stick, as the corrosive sublimate will 
blacken a metal spoon. Stir it several times during that 
day ; but afterwards, do not stir it at all ; leaving it to 
form a smooth white mass, like a very thick jelly. Then 
cover it closely, and set it away for use ; taking care to 
keep it out of the way of children, as the corrosive subli- 
mate will render it poisonous if swallowed. 

This paste will keep to an indefinite period, if the air 
is carefully excluded from it, and if it is not transferred to 
a vessel made of any sort of metal. It forms a strong, co- 
lourless, and firm cement for paper, &c. ; and when once 
made, may be kept always at hand ; and is most conveni- 
ent for all sorts of pasting ; particularly little things, for 
which it would seem scarcely worth while to take the 
trouble of boiling flour-paste. It only spoils when kept 
in metal, or from long exposure to the air. 
22* 



258 THE 

We can certify to its superiority over all other paste, 
having the experience of using it continually. The ad- 
vantage of its being always ready is an important recom- 
mendation. Try it, and you will be induced to keep it 

constantly in the house. 

- — ♦ — 

GUM- ARABIC PASTE.— Take a common-sized 
tea-cup of cold, soft water, and dissolve in it a large tea- 
spoonful of the best and cleanest powdered gum-arabic. 
When the gum is entirely melted, stir in, by degrees, a 
table-spoonful of fine wheat flour ; carefully pressing out 
all the lumps, and making it as smooth as possible. 
Keep it closely covered, and in a cool place. If, after a 
few days, it should appear spotted or mouldy on the top, 
remove the surface, and the paste beneath will still be 
fit for use. This is a good cement for artificial flowers, 
and for ornamental pasteboard work. 



CEMENT FOR JARS AND BOTTLES.— Accord- 
ing to the quantity of cement required, take one-third bees- 
wax and two-thirds rosin. Pound the rosin to a fine pow- 
der, and then put it, with the bees-wax, into any sauce-pan 
or skillet suited to the purpose, and set them over the fire 
to melt. When it becomes thoroughl}'- liquid, take it 
off the fire, and stir in some finely-powdered brickdust, 
till the mixture becomes as thick as melted sealing-wax. 
Then plaster it, warm, round the covers of your preserve 
or pickle-jars. If you use it for bottles, first cork them 
tightly, and then dip their tops into the cement. It will 
dry in a few minutes. This cement is very strong and 
very cheap, and especially useful for articles that are to 

be carried to sea. 

— ♦ — 

COVERING FOR CORKS.— The odour of a cologne 
bottle, or of any other scented liquid, may be prevented 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 259 

from escaping by keeping the cork and the neck of the 
bottle covered with the finger-end or thumb of an old kid 
glove, cut off, for the purpose, at a suitable length and 
breadth, and stretched or drawn down closely and tightly. 
This is more convenient than the usual kid-leather covers, 
that must be untied and tied again whenever the bottles 
are opened. ^ 

MILK OF ROSES.— Mix together a pint of rose- 
water, and an ounce of oil of sweet almonds. Then add 
ten drops of oil of tartar. Bottle it, and shake it well. 
It is good for the hands. 

EXCELLENT POMATUM.— Melt some beef's mar- 
row on a slow fire, being careful not to let it burn ; then 
strain it several times over, that it may be well purified. 
When partially cool, beat in some castor oil, a table- 
spoonful at a time. The proportion should be two-thirds 
of melted marrow to one-third of oil. Perfume it by 
stirring in, as you proceed, any sort of essential oil that 
is not too pungent. You may give it a fine red colouring 
by putting in, after the marrow has melted, some chips of 
alkanet tied in a very thin muslin bag, letting it remain 
till the tint is thoroughly infused. Keep it in covered 
gallicups. A little rubbed every day, or twice or three 
times a week, with the finger among the roots of the hair, 
will greatly improve its growth and softness. 



AN EXCELLENT WAY OF IMPROVING THE 
HAIR. — Once in three days take some rich unskimmed, 
milk that has been made sour by standing in the sun. 
Stir it up, so as to mix all through it the cream that has 
collected on the surface. Wash the hair with this, rub- 
bing it well into the roots. Let it remain on the hair 
about a quarter of an hour or more. Then wash it off, 



260 

with a lather of white soap and warm water ; rinsing the 
hair, afterwards, with fresh water, either warm or cold, 
according to the season. This is an Asiatic process ; and 
if- continued every third day, seldom fails to render the 
hair of young people thick, soft, and glossy. 

TO HAVE GOOD HAIR.— -The women of Germany 
have remarkably fine and luxuriant hair. The following 
is their most usual method of managing it. About once 
a fortnight, boil for half an hour or more, a large handful 
of bran in a quart of soft water. Strain it into a basin, 
and let it cool till it is merely tepid or milk-warm. Rub 
into it a little white soap ; then dip in the corner of a soft 
linen towel, and wash your head with it, thoroughly ; 
dividing or parting aside the hair all over ; so as to reach 
the roots. Next take the yolk of an egg, (slightly beaten 
in a saucer,) and with your fingers rub it well into the 
roots of the hair. Let it rest a few minutes ; and then 
wash it off entirely, with a cloth dipped in pure water ; 
and rinse your hair well, till all the yolk of egg has dis- 
appeared from it. Afterwards, wipe and rub it dry with 
a towel, and comb the hair up from your head, parting it 
with your fingers. In winter it is best to do all this near 
the fire. 

Have ready some soft pomatum, made of fresh beef- 
marrow, boiled with a little almond oil or olive oil, stirring 
it all the time till it is well amalgamated, and as thick as 
an ointment. When you take it from the fire (and not 
before) stir into it a little mild perfume ; such as rose- 
water, orange-flower water, extract of roses, oil of carna- 
tions, or essence of violets. Put it into gallicups that 
have lids, and keep it for use; always well-covered. 
Take a very small quantity of this pomatum, and rub it 
among your hair on the skin of your head, after it has 
been washed as above. 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 261 

At any time you may make your hair curl more easily 
Dy rubbing into it some beaten yolk of egg, (washed off, 
afterwards with clear water,) and then putting on a little 
pomatum before you* pin up your curls. It is well 
always to go through this process when you resume curls 
after having worn your hair plain. 

All hair should be combed every morning with a fine- 
toothed comb, to remove the dust which insensibly gets 
into it during the preceding day, and to keep the skin of 
the head always clean. 

To prevent your bonnet being injured by any oiliness 
about your hair, baste a piece of white or yellow oiled 
silk inside of that part of the bonnet where the crown 
unites w T ith the brim, carrying the silk some distance up 
into the crown, and some distance down into the brim or 
front. 

Clean your head-brushes by washing them thoroughly 
with a bit of soft sponge tied on the end of a stick, and 
dipped into a warm solution of peariash, prepared by dis* 
solving a large table-spoonful of peariash in a pint of 
boiling water. When the bristles have thus been made 
quite clean, rinse the brushes in hot water ; letting them 
remain in it till it becomes cool, or cold. Afterwards, 
drain the brushes ; wipe them with a clean cloth ; and 
set them upright before the fire to dry. 

The most convenient way of cleaning combs is with a 
strong silk thread, made fast to the handle of a bureau- 
drawer — in front of which, seat yourself with a towel 
spread over your lap to catch whatever impurities may 
fall from the comb. Holding the comb in your left hand,* 
and the thread in your right, pass the thread hard between 
each of the comb-teeth. Afterwards wash the comb in 
soap-suds, rinse it in cold water, and dry it with a clean 
cloth. 



262 the lady's receipt-book. 

SALT OF LEMON OR STAIN POWDER.— This 

powder, which is erroneously called salt of lemon, is in 
reality composed simply of equal portions of finely pul- 
verized salt of sorrel and cream of tartar, (for instance an 
ounce of each,) mixed together in a mortar, and after- 
wards put into small covered boxes, or gallipots. It will 
immediately remove ink spots, fruit stains, &c, from the 
hands or from any articles of white linen or muslin ; 
first wetting the place with water (warm water is best) 
and then with your finger rubbing on the powder, till the 
stain disappears. Immediately afterwards wash it off 
with soap-suds. If applied to a coloured article that has 
been inked or stained, the powder in removing the stain 
will take out the colour. But the colour (particularly if 
black) may in most cases be restored by rubbing the 
place with hartshorn ; which if very strong should be 
somewhat diluted with water, or it will leave a tinge of 
its own. If the hartshorn fails to restore the colour, it is 
on account of some peculiarity in the dye. It is always 
worth trying. We have seen a large splash of ink taken 
out of a carpet by first wetting it with warm water and 
rubbing on some of the above-mentioned stain powder. 
The colours were all restored to their former brightness 
by afterwards applying hartshorn. Next day, the place 
where the ink had been spilled on the carpet could not 
be distinguished. We have also known the same ex- 
periment tried with perfect success on a mousseline de 
laine dress on which an ink-stand had been overset. 

Ink spots can be removed from white clothes by the 
simple application of a bit of clean tallow picked from 
the bottom of a mould candle, rubbed on the ink spot, and 
left sticking there when the article goes into the wash- 
tub. It will come out of the wash freed from the ink stain. 

This stain powder should be kept out of the way of 
children, as if swallowed it is poisonous. 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 263 

Fresh lemon-juice mixed with a little salt is excellent 
for removing stains of ink, iron mould, &c, 

TO MAKE GREASE BALLS.— Shave down half 
a pound of white soap, and mix it with three ounces of 
fuller's earth, powdered. Then mix together three 
ounces of ox-gall, and two ounces of spirits of turpentine. 
With this, moisten the soap and fuller's earth, till you 
have a stiff paste. Mix it thoroughly, and beat it well. 
Make it into balls with your hands, and place the balls 
where they will dry slowly. To use it, scrape down a 
sufficiency, and spread it on the grease spot. Let it rest 
awhile ; then brush it off, and scrape and apply some more. 
A few applications will generally remove the grease. 



TO EXTRACT GREASE WITH CAMPHINE 
OIL. — Grease of the very worst sort (for instance whale 
oil) may be extracted successfully even from silks, rib- 
bons, and other delicate articles, by means of camphine 
oil, which can always be procured at the lamp-stores. 
As this oil is best when fresh, get but a small quantity at 
a time. Pour some camphine into a clean cup, and dip 
lightly into it a bit of clean, soft, white rag. With this 
rub the grease spot. Then take a fresh rag dipped in 
the camphine, and continue rubbing till the grease is 
extracted, which will be very soon. You will find the 
colour of the article uninjured. To remove the turpen- 
tine odour of the camphine, rub the place with cologne 
water or strong spirits of wine, and expose it to the open 
air. If any of the camphine-scent remains, repeat the 
cologne. We have known lamp oil removed from white 

satin by this process. 

— ♦ — ■ 

FINE YELLOW COLOURING FOR WALLS.— 
Procure from a paint-shop one pound of chrome yellow, 



264 

and three pounds of whiting. Mix and grind them 
thoroughly together; and then add a quart of boiling 
water, and stir it well in. Next boil a quarter of a pound 
of glue in a quart of water, and when completely dis- 
solved, add it immediately to the mixture, and stir the 
whole very hard. Thin it with more water till you get 
it of the desired consistence. It will be a beautiful 
yellow, approaching to lemon colour. 

BLUE WASH FOR WALLS.— Get a pound of 
blue vitriol from a drug or paint store, and have it 
powdered very finely in a mortar. Provide also two 
quarts of lime. Take six cents' worth of glue, and boil 
it in a quart of soft water till thoroughly dissolved. Put 
the powdered vitriol into a wooden bucket, and when the 
glue-water is cold, pour it on the vitriol, and mix and stir 
it well. When the vitriol is dissolved in the glue-water, 
stir in by degrees the two quarts of lime. Then try the 
tint of the mixture by dipping a piece of white paper into 
it ; and when it dries, you can judge if it is the colour 
you want. It should be a clear light beautiful blue. If 
you think it too dark, add some more lime. If too pale, 
stir in a little more of the powdered vitriol. It is well to 
provide an extra quantity of each of the articles, in case 
a little more of one or the other should be required on 
trial of the colour. 



TO CLEAN WHITEWASH BRUSHES.— Wash 

off, with cold water, the lime from the bristles of the 
brush; and scrub well with a hard scrubbing-brush the 
part where the bristles are fixed into the wood. This 
should be done at once, as soon as the whitewashing for 
that day is finished. It is far better than to let them 
soak all night. 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 265 

AN EASY WAY TO MAKE INK.— Take two 
ounces of the best and most perfect nut-galls, and bruise 
them to pieces with a hammer. Put them into a large 
mug, with half an ounce of copperas, and a quarter of an 
ounce of powdered gum-arabic. Pour on a pint of boiling 
water. Cover the vessel, and let it stand in a warm place 
for a week ; frequently stirring the contents with a stick. 
Afterwards leave it one day undisturbed ; and then pour 
off the liquid through a funnel into a bottle ; in the 
bottom of which you have put half a dozen cloves or a 
spoonful of brandy, either of which will prevent the ink 
from moulding. Keep the bottle closely corked. 



TO USE DURABLE INK.— It is an error (rectified 
by experience) to wash as soon as possible articles that 
have been marked with durable ink. On the contrary, 
they should be kept without washing for at least a 
week. If washed too soon, the soap and water will 
disturb the ink before it is thoroughly dried in, causing 
the letters to spread and look rough. Also, it will not 
be so good a black. Every time, before using it, set the 
little bottle with the marking liquid in the sun, or before 
a bright fire ; and then stir it up from the bottom. This 
will increase its blackness. After putting the wash or 
gum-liquid on the place to be marked, dry it by the fire 
or in the hot sun, and then iron it smoothly. Do not 
write the name till next day, and then, as above mentioned, 
set the marking ink in the sun, and stir it up from the 
bottom. When trie name is written, dry it as soon as 
possible, and then iron it again. 

Durable ink may be extracted by wetting the writing 
with hot water, and then rubbing on a little sal-ammonia. 

After making durable ink, set the marking liquid or 
lunar caustic preparation for three or four days in the hot 
sun ; otherwise it will not become black. 

23 



266 

SUMACH INK.— The milk or gum that exudes from 
the sumach is a good substitute for durable ink. Break 
off the stalks that support the leaves. Squeeze them 
into a cup, and write with the liquid. Expose it to the 
sun and it will become a fine black. 



VERY FINE INK.— Into a large jar or pitcher put 
half a pound of the best Aleppo galls, broken up with a 
hammer or flat-iron ; but not pounded. Pour on two 
quarts of soft water, nearly of boiling heat. Cover the 
vessel ; and let it stand on a warm hearth or in the hot 
sun for a fortnight ; stirring it to the bottom twice a day, 
with a stick. At the end of the fortnight, add two ounces 
of green copperas ; two ounces of logwood chips ; two 
ounces of gum-arabic ; half an ounce of alum ; and half 
an ounce of sugar-candy. Let the whole remain in a 
moderate heat a fortnight longer ; stirring it twice a day. 
Keep the mouth of the vessel covered with paper only, 
tied down over it. On the last day, do not stir it, but 
pour the ink through a strainer into another vessel, and 
then with a funnel transfer it to bottles. Pour a small 
tea-spoonful or more of brandy into the top of each bottle, 
if small. To a pint bottle there should be a table-spoonful 
of brandy. This will preserve the ink from moulding. 
Cork the bottles well, and seal the corks. Keep them 
in a place of temperate heat. 

In buying Aleppo galls get those that are dark coloured, 
heavy, and free from holes. 



GOOD INK. — Bruise two ounces of Aleppo galls; 
put them into a pitcher with half an ounce of copperas, 
and a quarter of an ounce of gum arabic. Pour on a 
pint of soft water at boiling heat. Cover it, and let it 
stand a week ; stirring it several times a day, except on 
the last day. Then pour it through a funnel into a 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 267 

bottle that has half a dozen cloves in it. In pouring, see 
that you do not disturb the sediment at the bottom of the 
pitcher. Cork the bottle tightly. 

TO SOFTEN SPONGES.— A sponge, when first 
purchased, is frequently hard, stiff, and gritty. To soften 
it, and dislodge the particles of sea-sand from its crevices, 
(having first soaked and squeezed it through several cold 
waters,) put the sponge into a clean tin sauce-pan, set it 
over the fire, and boil it a quarter of an hour. Then take 
it out, put it into a bowl of cold water, and squeeze it 
well. Wash out the sauce-pan, and return the sponge to 
it, rilling up with clean cold water, and boil it another 
quarter of an hour. Repeat the process, giving it three 
boils in fresh water ; or more than three if you find it 
still gritty. Take care not to boil it too long, or it will 
become tender, and drop to pieces. You may bleach it 
by adding to the water a few drops of oil of vitriol. 

The Mediterranean sponges are the best. 

After using a sponge, always wash it immediately in 
clean water, squeeze it out, and put it to dry. 

TO REMOVE THE ODOUR FROM A VIAL.— 

The odour of its last contents may be removed from a 
vial by filling it with cold water, and letting it stand in 
any airy place uncorked for three days ; changing the 
water every day. 

TO LOOSEN A GLASS STOPPER.— The manner 
in which apothecaries loosen glass stoppers when there 
is difficulty jn getting them out, is to press the thumb of 
the right hand very hard against the lower part of the 
stopper, and then give the stopper a twist the other way, 
with the thumb and fore-finger of the left hand ; keeping 
the bottle stiff in a steady position. 



268 THE 

TO GET A BROKEN CORK OUT OF A BOT- 
TLE. — If in drawing a cork it breaks, and the lower 
part falls down into the liquid, tie a long loop in a bit of 
twine, or small cord, and put it in ; holding the bottle so 
as to bring the piece of cork near to the lower part of the 
neck. Catch it in the loop, so as to hold it stationary. 
You can then easily extract it with a cork-screw. 

TO PURIFY THE ATMOSPHERE OF A ROOM. 
— Mix, in a cup, some brown sugar, with sufficient water 
to make it a thick liquid. Put a hot coal on a shovel ; 
pour on the coal a tea-spoonful, or more, of the sugar, and 
carry it carefully about the room. The smoke will en- 
tirely remove any disagreeable odour. If the sugar is 
thrown dry upon the hot coal, it will blaze up, and burn 
out immediately, without effecting the desired purpose ; 
but if mixed with a little water, it will not blaze at all, 
but the vapour arising from it will continue to smoke, till 
the unpleasant smell is entirely dispelled. 

A few sprigs of lavender, laid on hot coals, and carried 
round the room, on a shovel, is a good remedy for a dis- 
agreeable odour. 

Chloride of lime, sprinkled on dry, will, unfailingly, 
dispel the effluvia of an)'- ill-scented substance. It is very 
cheap. A jar of it should be kept in every house ; as, 
for this purpose, there is nothing more effectual. 

TO CLEAN JARS.— There is frequently much trou- 
ble in cleaning the inside of jars that have contained 
sweet-meats, pickles, mince-meat, &c, so as entirely to 
remove all the odour of their former contents, before they 
can be used for another purpose. If the jars are of stone, 
fill them up with scalding water, and let them stand 
awhile. If of white-ware, or glass, the water must be 
merely warm ; for if hot, it will crack them. Then stir 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 269 

in a large tea-spoonful, or more, of pearlash. Whatever 
of the former contents has remained sticking about, and 
adhering to the sides and bottom, will immediately disen- 
gage itself, and float loose through the water. Afterwards 
empty the jar, and if any odour lingers about its inside, 
fill it again with warm water and a spoonful of pearlash, 
and let it stand, undisturbed, a few hours, or till next day. 
Then empty # again, and rinse it with cold water. 
Wash phials in the same manner. Also, the inside of 
tea, coffee, and chocolate-pots. If you cannot, conve- 
niently, obtain pearlash, the same purpose may be 
answered, nearly as well, by filling the vessels with 
strong lye, poured off clear from the wood-ashes. For 
kegs, buckets, crocks, or other large vessels, lye may 

always be used. 

- — ♦ — 

TO CLEAN LOOKING-GLASSES— Take a news- 
paper, or a part of one, according to the size of the glass. 
Fold it small, and dip it into a basin of clean, cold water. 
When thoroughly wetted, squeeze it out in your hand, 
as you would a sponge ; and then rub it, hard, all over 
the face of the glass ; taking care that it is not so wet 
that the moisture will stream down the glass. Also, if 
any drops get beneath the frame, and behind the glass, 
they will remain there, in bubbles, and cannot be dis- 
lodged, without removing the board at the back. There 
is no danger of any such accidents, if the newspaper is 
merely moistened, or damped throughout ; without being 
so wet as to drip. After the glass has been well rubbed, 
with the damp paper, let it rest a minute. Then go over 
it with a fresh newspaper, (folded small in your hand,) 
till it looks clear and bright ; which it will, almost im- 
mediately. Finish with a fresh piece of newspaper, 
thoroughly dry. 

This method, simple as it is, will be found, on trial, the 
23* 



270 

best and most expeditious way of cleaning mirrors, or any 
plate-glass ; giving a clearness and polish, that cannot be 
so soon produced by any other process. The inside of 
window-panes may be cleaned in this manner ; the win- 
dows having been first washed on the outside. Also, 
the glasses of spectacles, &c. The glass globe of a lamp 
may thus be cleaned with newspapers. 

The efficacy is attributed to the m^erials used in 
making the printing-ink. 

TO REMOVE DARK STAINS FROM SILVER.— 
There are many substances that communicate a dark, 
inky stain to silver spoons, forks, &c. ; a stain sometimes 
so inveterate as to resist all common applications. A 
certain remedy is, to pour a little sulphuric acid into a 
saucer ; wet with it a soft linen rag ; and rub it on the 
blackened silver, till the stain disappears. Then brighten 
the article with whiting, finely powdered and sifted, and 
moistened with spirits of wine. When the whiting has 
dried on, and rested a quarter of an hour, or more, wipe 
it off with a silk handkerchief, and polish with a soft 
buckskin. 

TO CLEAN RINGS, BROOCHES, AND OTHER 
JEWELRY. — Put a little hartshorn into a saucer ; dip 
into it a clean, soft rag, from an old cambric handkerchief. 
With the rag, go carefully over the jewelry, on both sides. 
Then dry and polish, with another bit of soft rag; and, 
finally, with a soft piece of old silk. Precious stones, 
mosaics and cameos may be cleaned in this manner. To 
brighten pearls, tear ofTa small bit of pin-paper, (such as 
rows of pins are stuck in,) roll it up, and, with the end 
of the roll, rub each pearl, separately ; renewing the 
paper frequently. 

The application of hartshorn, rubbed on with the finger, 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 271 

will generally remove the stain-spots that are sometimes 
found on new silk, and on new kid gloves. There are 
few stains, indeed, that may not be obliterated by harts- 
horn. If too strong, dilute it with a little water. Pour 
out, into your saucer, but very little hartshorn, at a time, 
as it evaporates almost immediately. 

Reddish stains, on black silk, or worsted, can, almost 
always, be removed by hartshorn ; and the original black 
colour will immediately re-appear. 



TO KEEP SILVER ALWAYS BRIGHT.— Silver, 
in constant use, should be washed every day in a pan of 
suds made of good white soap and warm water ; drying 
it with old soft linen cloths. Twice a week, (after this 
washing,) give it a thorough brightening with finely-pow- 
dered whiting, mixed to a thin paste with alcohol ; rub- 
bing longer and harder where there are stains. Then 
wipe this off, and polish with clean soft old linen. Silver 
is cleaned in this manner at the best hotels. 



PLATE POWDER.— Buy, at a druggist's, an ounce 
of levigated oxide of iron, and four ounces of prepared 
chalk, finely pulverized. Mix them well together, and 
put the mixture into small boxes. Rub it, dry, on the 
silver, and then polish with a clean buckskin; finishing 
with an old silk handkerchief. This is the composition 
usually sold as plate powder. Its colour is a reddish brown. 

POWDER FOR CLEANING GOLD LACE.— Of 

burnt roche-alum, powdered as fine as possible, take two 
ounces and a half. Mix, thoroughly, with it, half an 
ounce of finely-powdered chalk. Take a small, clean, 
dry brush ; dip it into the mixture, and rub it, carefully. 



272 the lady's receipt-book. 

on gold lace, or gold embroidery, that has become tar- 
nished. Finish with a clean piece of new canton flannel. 
Keep a box or bottle of this mixture, that it may be ready 
to use on occasion. It is equally good for silver lace, and 

for jewelry. 

— * — 

TO KEEP BRITANNIA-METAL BRIGHT.— Dip 

a clean woollen cloth into the best and cleanest lamp oil, 
and rub it, hard, all over the outside of your Britannia- 
ware. Then wash it well in strong soap-suds, and 
afterwards polish with finely-powdered whiting and a 
buckskin. The inside of Britannia vessels should be 
washed with warm water, in which a little pearlash has 
been dissolved. They should then be set, open, to dry 
in the sun and air. If not kept very nice, this metal will 
communicate a disagreeable taste. There is so much 
copper in its composition, that tea-pots or coffee-pots of 
china, or white-ware, are far preferable to Britannia-metal. 

TO CLEAN SILVER EXPEDITIOUSLY.— Put 

some powdered magnesia into a saucer. Have ready a 
few bits of new canton flannel. It is well, in cutting out 
canton flannel, to save the small shavings, or clippings, for 
this purpose. Dip a bit of the flannel into the magnesia, 
and with it rub the silver, very hard. It will brighten, 
immediately, if there are no black stains on it. Finish, 
by polishing with a clean piece of the flannel, without 
magnesia. 

Dark stains on silver are best removed by rubbing 
them with flannel, dipped in sulphuric acid. This should 
be done before any brightening substance is applied. 

PASTE FOR CLEANING KNIVES.— Make a 

mixture, one part emery, and three parts crocus martis, 
in very fine powder. Mix them to a thick paste, with a 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 273 

little lard or sweet oil. Have your knife-board covered 
with a thick buff-leather. Spread this paste on your 
leather, to about the thickness of a quarter-dollar. Rub 
your knives in it, and it will make them much sharper 
and brighter, and will wear them out less, than the com- 
mon method of cleaning with brick-dust, on a bare board. 

A GOOD WAY OF CLEANING SILVER.— Mix 

in a cup or saucer a paste of powdered magnesia, and 
the best and clearest lamp oil, (whale oil,) and cover with 
this paste the silver that is to be cleaned. Let it rest a 
quarter of an hour or more ; applying the paste to all 
the articles you intend cleaning before you begin to re- 
move it from any one of them. Afterwards wipe it off, 
entirely, with a soft linen rag, and then proceed to polish 
the plate with a soft buckskin, and some dry magnesia. 
Finish with a silk handkerchief. The longer you rub, 
the brighter will be the silver, but you must change fre- 
quently to clean parts of the buckskin. If the silver has 
much chasing or ornamental frost-work, it may be ne- 
cessary to take a small soft brush to clean out all the hol- 
lows and crevices. But, if possible, avoid using a brush, 
as it wears the silver thin. 

Silver may be kept continually bright with very little 
trouble, by cleaning it three times a-week, or every day, 
with dry magnesia rubbed on with a bit of clean shaggy 
canton flannel that has never been washed. Scraps and 
clippings of woollen flannel should never be used for 
cleaning plate, as its roughness may scratch it. 

Dark stains on silver or gold may be immediately 
removed (however bad) by the application of a little sul- 
phuric acid poured into a saucer and rubbed on with a 
soft rag. Then polish with magnesia and canton flannel. 

The colour of silver will always be injured by keeping 
it in a room where there is a coal fire 



274 



THE LADY S RECEIPT-BOOK. 



The cases of gold or silver watches may be cleaned, 
as above, with powdered magnesia and canton flannel. 



TO TAKE WHITE MARKS FROM MAHOGA- 
NY. — If a white mark has been left on a mahogany 
table by carelessly setting down on it a vessel of hot 
water, rub the place hard with a rag dipped in lamp oil ; 
and afterwards pour on a little cologne water, or a little 
alcohol, and rub it dry with a clean rag. 

The dish-marks left on a dining-table can of course be 
taken off in the same manner. 

If brandy is spilt on mahogany, and leaves a whitish 
mark, that mark can be removed by rubbing it hard with 
a rag dipped in more brandy. Try it. 



TO TAKE SPERMACETI OUT OF A HEARTH 
OR FLOOR. — First scrape off the drops of spermaceti 
with a knife. Then take a live coal in the tongs and 
hold it carefully and closely over the place. Afterwards 
wipe it with a rag, and then wash it with hot soap-suds. 

TO REMOVE GREASE FROM A STOVE 
HEARTH. — When oil or any other grease has been 
dropped on a stove hearth, immediately cover the place 
with very hot ashes. Afterwhile, clear away the ashes; 
and if the grease has not quite disappeared, repeat the 
process. 



TO MAKE SHOES OR BOOTS WATER-PROOF. 

— Melt together, in a pipkin, equal quantities of bees-wax 
and mutton suet. While liquid, rub it over the leather, 
including the soles. 

TO EXTRACT OIL FROM THE FLOOR OR 
HEARTH. — Mix together two heaped t?ble-spoonfu!s 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 275 

01 powdered fuller's earth; one large table-spoonful of 
potash or pearlash ; and one large table-spoonful of soft 
soap. Add sufficient boiling water to make it into a 
thick paste. Spread it hot on the oil spot, with a broad 
flat stick ; let it remain an hour or two. Then brush it 
off, and renew the application. When the grease has 
disappeared, scrub the place with soap and water. 

This mixture is equally good for boards, stone, or 
marble. 

TO TAKE OFF WALL PAPER.— To clear a wall 
from paper previous to painting or white-washing it, wet 
the old paper thoroughly with a long-handled brush 
dipped in a bucket of water, (warm water is best.) Let 
it rest till the water has penetrated it, and the paper 
blisters and loosens, so that you can peel it off with your 
hands. Do not wet too much at a time. If any small 
bits are found still adhering, wet them afresh, and scrape 
them off with a strong: knife. 



TO REMOVE PAINT FROM THE WALL OF 
A ROOM. — If you intend papering a painted wall, you 
must first get off the paint, otherwise the paper will not 
stick. To do this mix in a bucket with warm water a 
sufficient quantity of pearlash, or potash, so as to make a 
strong solution. Dip a brush into this, and with it scour 
off all the paint, finishing with cold water and a flannel. 



DUSTING FURNITURE.— If a hand-brush is em- 
ployed for dusting furniture it should always be followed 
by a cloth ; and the cloth should be so used as to wipe 
up the dust; and not merely flirted about it, so as to 
drive the particles from one place to another. The cloth 
in wiping up the dust should hold it in, and then be 
shaken frequently out of a back window. A brush or a 



276 the lady's receipt-book. 

bunch of feathers will keep the dust floating about the 
room ; dislodging but not absorbing it ; and only remov- 
ing it from one article to settle it on another. Therefore 
a cloth is indispensable in really freeing the furniture 
from dust. A yard of sixpenny calico, or of strong 
unbleached muslin, will make two small dusters or one 
large one. They should be hemmed or whipped over 
the edges, that servants may have no pretext for regard- 
ing them as mere rags, to be thrown away or torn up 
when dirty. It is difficult to dust well with a ragged, 
dusting-cloth. 

TO TAKE FRUIT STAINS FROM WHITE 
DOILIES OR NAPKINS.— The use of coloured doilies 
for wiping the fingers after eating fruit being nearly ex- 
ploded, and small white napkins being now substituted 
for that purpose, let them, as soon as taken from table, be 
thrown immediately into a large vessel of clean water. 
If hot water is at hand it will be better than cold. Leave 
them to soak during the remainder of the day. Then 
take them out, put them where they will dry ; and you 
will generally find that the fruit stains have disappeared. 
If any remain, wet the stains with hot water, and then 
rub on some lemon-juice, or salt-of-lemon stain-powder ; 
washing it off as soon as it has removed the stain. Cream 
of tartar will sometimes produce this effect. It is scarcely 
possible to get a stain out of any sort of linen after it has 
been previously washed with soap. 

TO CLEAR CLOSETS FROM COCKROACHES. 

— Remove every article from the closet, scrub the shelves 
with lye, and then whitewash the closet walls. Next 
take a sufficiency of black wadding, and soak it in spirits 
of turpentine or camphor, or a mixture of both. Then 
with a fork or the point of a knife, stuff it close and hard 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 277 

into every crevice, crack, and hole, however small. 
United with the copperas dye of the black wadding, the 
camphor and turpentine will destroy or expel the cock- 
roaches, so that for a long time you will see no more of 
them. If they return, repeat the remedy ; which of 
course will be as effective if applied to the crevices about 
the kitchen walls or floors. Let the closet remain empty 
for several days. Then place on each shelf a small plate 
with dry chloride of lime to dissipate the smell of the 
turpentine. 

The preparation of phosphorus called Levy's Exter- 
minator, and which is to be had at the druggists', is very 
destructive to cockroaches, rats, and mice. Cover with 
it a slice of bread and butter, then sprinkle on some 
brown sugar, and lay it in places where these vermin 
have been seen. 

A mixture in the proportion of three table-spoonfuls of 
meal, and one table-spoonful of red lead, wetted to a thin 
paste with West India molasses, if laid on old plates, and 
set about their haunts, is very efficacious in expelling 
cockroaches. 

These remedies are all good ; and if used persever- 
ingly and always resumed, as soon as the cockroaches 
begin to appear again, there will be but little trouble with 
these detestable insects. Nothing has yet been found that 
can banish them from a house so effectually as to pre- 
clude all danger of their ever returning. But much 
comfort is gained by even a temporary relief from them. 

If an insect gets into the ear it may be destroyed by 
pouring in a little sweet oil. They have been sometimes 
enticed out, by applying to the ear a piece of ripe peach 

or apple. 

— ♦ — 

SxMALL COCKROACHES.— Many houses are 
much infested with small brown cockroaches, which are 
24 



278 the lady's receipt-book. 

especially troublesome and disgusting from their dispo- 
sition to get into bureaus, wardrobes, trunks, and even 
band-boxes. They will soon depart, if bunches of penny- 
royal (as fresh as you can get it, and frequently renewed) 
are laid in all the places where they have appeared, or 
are likely to come. Pennyroyal is to be generally bought 
in market at the very trifling cost of one cent a bunch. 
At any season it can be had at the druggists', and at the 
garden stores. Rags dipped in oil of pennyroyal, and 
laid about their haunts, will frequently expel these cock- 
roaches. But every one that is seen should be imme- 
diately killed, and not merely brushed off, to run to an- 
other place. There is little difficulty in keeping a house 
free from cockroaches and all other vermin, if the reme- 
dies are applied in time, and with perseverance. 

The very bad practice of using old bricks for cellar- 
walls and back-buildings, is the chief cause of new houses 
becoming immediately infested with cockroaches, &c. 
They have in this way been introduced at once into some 
very elegant mansions in Philadelphia, where old bricks 
have been used for the cellars ; these bricks having 
originally belonged to old almshouses, long since pulled 
down. To buy such bricks, however cheap, is a mise- 
rable economy. 

— « — 

TO DESTROY CRICKETS.— Mix some powdered 
arsenic with roasted apple, and put it into the cracks and 
holes whence the crickets issue. It will effectually de- 
stroy them. And cockroaches also. 

TO EXPEL FLEAS.— Get some pennyroyal. Hav- 
ing stripped the leaves from the stalks, stuff them into 
little bags, made of muslin or thin calico, and sewed up 
all round. Lay these bags among the bedding, and the 
pennyroyal will send away the fleas. If more conve- 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 279 

nient, sprinkle the bedding with oil or essence of penny- 
royal. When travelling, it is well to take with you some 
little bags of pennyroyal, in case you should have to 
sleep in a bed infested with fleas. 

Camphor is also a good remedy against fleas. 

Pennyroyal will generally expel the small brown 
cockroaches, if bunches of it are kept constantly in the 
closets, wardrobes, bureaus, &c. It is likewise an excel- 
lent remedy against wood-ticks ; keeping some of it 
about you, if obliged to go into places where these in- 
tolerable insects abound. When the wood-ticks fasten 
on the skin, brush them with a bunch of pennyroyal, and 
they will fall off immediately. 



TO DESTROY BED-BUGS.— Among the numerous 
ways of destroying bugs, there is none better than to wash 
carefully, with a solution of corrosive sublimate in spirits 
of wine, all the cracks and crevices of the bedstead, at 
least once a week ; taking care to throw out directly 
whatever may remain in the bowl or saucer, which 
should at once be washed clean in hot water. Corrosive 
sublimate is a most deadly poison, if even a small quan- 
tity is swallowed. One of the best remedies for it, is to 
take immediately a large quantity of sweet oil. 

Mercurial ointment, rubbed once a week into all the 
joints and crevices of the bedstead, is an excellent de- 
stroyer of bugs. It can best be rubbed in with the finger. 
Leave it on the bedstead without wiping off; and do not 
put on the bedding till evening. 

TO DESTROY FLIES.— Get, at a druggist's, some 
Egyptian or Fly-killing paper. Lay a piece of it on an 
old plate, and keep it moist by wetting it frequently with 
water. It will soon be found covered with dead flies. 
Shake them off, and wet the paper again. 



280 

_0r mix together a table-spoonful of powdered black 
pepper, the same quantity of brown sugar, and as much 
milk as will make it into a thin paste. Set it about on 
saucers. It will attract the flies, and they will die on 
eating it. 



TO DESTROY GARDEN ANTS.— Mix together 
half a pound of flour of brimstone, and four ounces of 
potash. Put them into an iron pot or pan, and stir it 
over the fire till they are dissolved, and well incorporated. 
Then pound them to a powder. Put the powder into a 
glass jar, with a cover, and keep it for use. Infuse some 
of this powder in a cup of water, and sprinkle with it the 
places that are infested by ants. They will soon dis- 
appear. 

— ♦ — 

TO EXPEL SMALL ANTS.— Mix a tea-spoonful 
of tartar emetic in two table-spoonfuls of molasses. Stir 
this into a small saucer of water, and set it where you 
have seen the ants. Let it remain all night ; and in the 
morning you will find a great number of ants lying dead 
on the surface of the water, and the others will have been 
frightened away. Skim off the dead ants, and set the 
saucer in any other place where these insects have ap- 
peared. This we know, by experience, to be an excel- 
lent remedy for the little ants with which so many houses 
are infested, and which swarm over sweet things. 



MICE. — An excellent preparation for expelling mice 
and rats is Levy's Exterminator, spread upon bread or 
cheese, and laid about the places they frequent. It is a 
preparation of phosphorus ; and after one mouse has eaten 
it and (of course) died, the others will disappear. It is to 
be had of most druggists ; and will also destroy cock- 
roaches, by spreading it on bits of cake or something simi- 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 281 

Jar, and laying it at night on the kitchen hearth, and in 
the closets. We highly recommend it. 

If you propose to destroy a mouse by arsenic spread on 
bread and butter, sprinkle on the arsenic a drop or two of 
oil of rhodium, and the mouse will unfailingly be attracted 
to the poison. Place beside it a saucer of water, and as 
soon as he has eaten of the poisoned bread and butter, he 
will drink, and then die on the spot, 

Oil of aniseed, spread on the bait, will attract them 

into a trap. 

— « — 

TO DESTROY CATERPILLARS.— Mix together 
twelve ounces of powdered quick-lime, two ounces of 
snuff, two ounces of fine salt, and two ounces of powdered 
sulphur. Strew this mixture over the caterpillars, or 
dissolve it in five gallons of water ; keep it in a conve- 
nient vessel, and sprinkle with it places where they 
abound. 

Any garden insects may be destroyed in this manner. 



TO DESTROY WORMS IN GARDEN WALKS. 
- — Pour into the Avorm-holes a strong lye, made of wood- 
ashes, lime, and water. Or, if more convenient, use, for 
this purpose, strong salt and water. 

TO DESTROY THE BEE-MILLER.— This in- 
sect, whose night-visits are so destructive to bees, may be 
destroyed by mixing a large wine-glass of vinegar with a 
pint of water, that has been made very sweet with honey. 
Set it in a bowl on the top of the hive, or beside it. It 
will attract the miller, and then drown him. 

TO MAKE THE HANDS SMOOTH AND SOFT. 

— For this purpose there is nothing nicer than the beau- 
tiful, fragrant, and delicate composition called Almond 
24* 



282 the lady's receipt-book. 

Cream, (Creme d'Amandes.) This almond cream (which 
must not be confounded with another preparation called 
Amandine) is, when fresh, very soft and white, and re- 
sembles ice-cream in appearance. To use it — first dip 
your hands into a basin of water, and then put on one of 
the palms a very small portion of the almond cream, (not 
larger than a grain of indian corn,) and with the other 
hand rub it to a lather. Rub it well into your hands and 
all over them before you wash it off. We know, by ex- 
perience, that this is the best of all preparations for keep- 
ing the hands in nice order. If used every day, it will 
effectually prevent the skin from chapping in cold 
weather ; and will remove any roughness caused by inci- 
dental employments, or by putting the hands into salt 
water. We earnestly recommend it. Keep it closely 
covered. ■ If you live where it can be easily procured, do 
not get more than one gallicup at a time, as almond cream 
is always best when freshly made. Exposure to the air 
hardens and discolours it. 

Another very excellent article for the hands is sand- 
soap, or sand wash-balls, — a preparation of soap mixed 
with fine sea-sand. There is nothing superior to it for 
washing the hands of boys, and of all persons whose 
business obliges them to use much manual exertion. 
Also, the hands of the most delicate lady will be ren- 
dered still softer and smoother by the daily use of sand- 
soap. Try it — but not for the face or neck. 

Sand-soap is made by shaving down and melting some 
white soap, and then stirring into it, while warm, an 
equal quantity of fine dry sea-sand. Put it, warm, into 
square moulds, or roll portions of the mixture between 
your hands, so as to form balls. Set them in a dark 
place to dry gradually. 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 283 

TO REMOVE CORNS FROM BETWEEN THE 
TOES. — These corns are generally more painful than 
any others, and are frequently situated as to be almost 
inaccessible to the usual remedies. Wetting them 
several times a day with hartshorn will in most cases 
cure them. Try it. 

TO ALLAY PAIN IN THE FEET WHEN 
CAUSED BY FATIGUE.— If your feet become pain- 
ful from walking or standing too long, put them as soon 
as you can into warm salt and water, mixed in the pro- 
portion of two large handfuls of salt to a gallon of water. 
Sea-water made warm is still better, if you can conve- 
niently procure it. Keep your feet and ankles in the 
salt water till it begins to feel cool, rubbing them well 
with your hands. Then wipe them dry, and rub them 
long and hard with a coarse thick towel, or with a hair 
glove. Where the feet are tender and easily fatigued, it 
is an excellent practice to go through this process regu- 
larly every night, or every morning, or both; also em- 
ploying it without fail always on coming home from a 
walk. With perseverance this has cured neuralgia in 
the feet. 

To prevent any roughness that may ensue after taking 
your hands out of the brine, wash them immediately 
with soap ; or what is still better, with almond cream, 
first dipping them into cold water, and then rubbing on 
a little of the above composition till it forms a lather. 
Almond cream is much used by gentlemen as a shaving 
soap, but it is also a very pleasant and useful article for a 
ladies washing-stand, being excellent for smoothing the 
hands, and preventing their chopping in cold weather. 
It is well to get but a small box at a time, as exposure 
to the air somewhat dries and discolours it. It should 
be kept closely covered. 



284 the lady's receipt-book. 

Chilblains or frost-bitten feet may be cured or prevented 
by dipping- the feet night and morning into cold water. 
Then taking them, out and wiping them dry with a 
coarse towel. Persevere, and you will find the remedy 
effectual. 

RELIEF FOR RHEUMATIC PAINS.— Bathe the 

afflicted part at night and morning, and frequently 
through the day, with warm salt and water, (mixed in 
the proportion of two handfuls of salt to a quart of water,) 
rubbing it well into the skin. Do this near the fire, or 
in a warm room ; avoiding exposure to a draught of air. 
Sea-water heated over the fire will answer the purpose 
still better. 

A table-spoonful of Hopkins's Compound Syrup of 
Sarsapariila, taken thrice a day, and persevered in for 
six or eight weeks, has frequently cured a chronic 
rheumatism. 

Swaim's Panacea has effected wonderful cures in 
rheumatism of long standing. 



RELIEF FOR A SPRAINED ANKLE.— Wash 

the ankle very frequently with cold salt and water, which 
is far better than warm vinegar or decoctions of herbs. 
Keep your foot as cool as possible to prevent inflammation ; 
and sit with it elevated on a high cushion. Live on very 
low diet, and take every day some cooling medicine ; for 
instance epsom salts. By observing these directions 
only, a sprained ankle has been cured in a few days. 



BATHING THE FEET.— In bathing the feet of a 
sick person, use at the beginning, tepid or lukewarm 
water. Have ready in a tea-kettle or covered pitcher, 
some hot water, of which pour in a little at intervals ; so 
as gradually to increase the temperature of the foot bath, 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 285 

ill it becomes as warm as it can be borne with comfort ; 
after which, the feet should be taken out before the water 
cools. This is a much better way than to put them at 
first into very warm water, and let it grow cool before 
they are taken out. Clean stockings, well warmed, 
should be ready to put on the feet as soon as they are 
out of the water, and have been rubbed dry with a 
flannel. 

CURE FOR A RUN-ROUND.— That disease of 
the finger or toe commonly called a run-round, may be 
easily cured by a remedy so simple that persons who 
have not seen it tried are generally incredulous as to its 
efficacy. The first symptoms of the complaint are heat, 
pain, swelling, and redness at the top of the nail. The 
inflammation, if not checked, will soon go round the whole 
of the nail, causing intense pain, accompanied by a fes- 
tering or gathering of yellow matter, and ending in the 
loss of the nail. To prevent all this, as soon as the first 
symptoms of swelling and inflammation commence, lay the 
finger flat on the table, and let the nail be scratched all 
over with the sharp point of a pair of scissors, or a pen- 
knife. This excoriation must be done first crossways, 
and then lengthways, so as thoroughly to scratch up the 
whole surface of the nail, leaving it rough and white. 
This little operation does not give the slightest pain; 
and we have never, in a single instance, known it fail. 
By next morning the finger will be well. If done before 
the festering commences, it is a certain and speedy cure. 
And it will even succeed at a later stage of the disease, 
by first opening with a needle that part of the swelling 
where the yellow matter has begun to appear; and 
afterwards by scratching up the surface of the nail with 
scissors or penknife. 

Hard horny warts on the hands can be cured positively, 



286 THE 

and without pain, by touching their tops twice a day or 
more with a clean quill pen, dipped in aquafortis. The 
wart, after a few applications of the aquafortis, will turn 
brown, and crumble till it falls off. 

For ring-worms there is no remedy so good as mer- 
curial ointment, rubbed on it at night, and not washed off 
till morning. It causes no pain, and by repetition will 

always effect a cure. 

— « — . 

TO APPLY AN EYE-STONE.— Eye-stones are 
frequently used to extract motes from the eye, sparks 
from steam-engines, and other extraneous substances. 
They are to be procured at the druggists 1 . They cost 
but two or three cents a piece ; and it is well to get 
several, that in case one fails you may try another. To 
give an eye-stone activity, lay it for about five minutes 
in a saucer of vinegar and water ; and if it is a good one 
it will soon begin to move or swim rouftd in the liquid. 
Then wipe it dry, and let it be introduced beneath the 
eye-lid, binding a handkerchief closely round the eye. 
The eye-stone will make the circuit of the eye, and in 
its progress take up the mote, which it will bring with it, 
when on the pain ceasing, the handkerchief is removed. 
Eye-stones are the eyes of lobsters. 

When a mote or spark gets into your eye, immediately 
pull down the lower eye-lash ; and, at the same moment 
with a handkerchief in your hand, blow your nose 
violently. This will frequently expel the mote without 
further trouble. A mote will sometimes come out by 
merely holding your eye wide open in a cup or glass 
filled to the brim with clear cold water. Or, take a pin, 
and wrapping its head in the corner of a soft cambric 
handkerchief, sweep carefully round the eye with it, 
above and below, inserting it under the lid. This should 
be done with a firm and steady hand, and will often bring 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 287 

out the mote. Another way is to take a long- clean 
bristle from a brush, tie the ends together with a bit of 
thread so as to form a loop, and sweep round the eye 
with it, so that the loop may catch the mote and bring it 
out. 

A particle of iron or steel, has, we know, been extracted 
from the eye, by holding near it a powerful magnet. 

Rail-road sparks, &c, have frequently been removed 
from the eye by introducing the feather-end of a quill, 
and sweeping it round beneath the edge of the lid. If 
done with care and dexterity it will generally succeed. 



CURE FOR THE TETTER.— Obtain at a drug- 
gist's an ounce of sulphur^ of potash. Be careful to ask 
for this article precisely. It is a preparation of sulphur 
and potash. Put the sulphuret into a large glass jar ; 
pour on it a quart of cold soft water ; and leave it to dis- 
solve, having first corked it tightly. Afterwards add to 
it a wine-glass of rose-water. It may be more convenient 
afterwards to transfer it to smaller bottles, taking care to 
leave them closely corked. Pour into each a table-spoon- 
ful or more of rose-water. To use it, pour a little into a 
saucer, and dipping in a soft sponge, bathe the eruption 
five or six times a day. Persist, and, in most cases, it 
will very soon effect a cure. It is, indeed, a safe and most 
excellent remedy. Should the tetter re-appear with the 
return of cold weather, immediately resume the use of 
this solution. A bath in which sulphuret of potash was 
dissolved in water (in the above proportions) has succeed- 
ed in curing the tetter after the eruption had spread all 

over the body of a child. 

- — ♦ — 

CURE FOR EXCORIATED NOSTRILS.— If, after 
a severe cold in the head, the inside of the nostrils con- 
tinue sore and inflamed, rub them lightly with a little 



288 the lady's receipt-book. 

kreosote ointment, applied to the interior of your nose 
with the finger. Do this at night, and several times 
during the day. It will very soon effect a cure ; often in 

twenty-four hours. 

— * — 

FOR A CHAFED UPPER LIP.— For a chafed 
upper lip and soreness of the end of the nose, such as 
generally accompanies a cold in the head or influenza, 
much relief may be found from the homely remedy of 
greasing the excoriation, at night on going to bed, with a 
bit of mutton tallow (that of a candle will do) held to the 
fire to soften. Extend the application over all the nose 
and even between the eyes. It is well to keep always 
in the house some nice tallow, prepared by boiling and 
skimming a sufficient quantity of fresh mutton fat, (there 
must not be a particle of salt about it,) and then pouring 
it warm into gallicups, which should be closely covered 
as soon as the liquid has congealed. 

CURE FOR PRICKLY HEAT.— Mix a large por- 
tion of wheat bran with either cold or lukewarm water, 
and use it as a bath twice or thrice a day. Children 
who are covered with prickly heat in warm weather will 
be thus effectually relieved from that tormenting eruption. 
As soon as it begins to appear on the neck, face, or arms, 
commence using the bran-water on these parts repeatedly 
through the day, and it may probably spread no farther. 
If it does, the bran-water bath will certainly cure it, if 
persisted in. 

— • — ' 

BROWN MIXTURE FOR A COUGH.— Mix in a 
large bottle, half an ounce of liquorice ; a quarter of an 
ounce of gum-arabic ; two tea-spoonfuls of antimonial 
wine ; sixty drops of laudanum ; and half a pint of 
water. Shake it well, and when the ingredients are 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 289 

thoroughly amalgamated it will be fit for use. For a cold 
and cough, take a dessert-spoonful three or four times a 
day, shaking or stirring it first. 

RED LIP SALVE.— Mix together equal portions of 
the best suet and the best lard. There must be no salt 
about them. Boil slowly, and skim and stir the mixture. 
Then add a small thin bag of alkanet chips ; and when 
it has coloured the mixture of a fine deep red, take it out. 
While cooling, stir in, very hard, sufficient rose or 
orange-flower water to give it a fine perfume. A few 
drops of oil of rhodium will impart to it a very agreeable 
rose-scent. 

Cold cream for excoriated nostrils, chafed upper lips, 
or chapped hands may be made nearly as above, but with 
one-third suet, and two-thirds lard, and no alkanet. 
When it has boiled thoroughly, remove it from the fire, 
and stir in, gradually, a large portion of rose-water, or a 
little oil of rhodium, beating very hard. Put it into 
small gallicups, with close covers. 

MUSTARD PLASTERS.— Mustard plasters are 
frequently very efficacious in rheumatic or other pains 
occasioned by cold. It is best to make them entirely of 
mustard and vinegar without any mixture of flour. They 
should be spread between two pieces of thin muslin, and 
bound on the part affected. As soon as the irritation or 
burning becomes uncomfortable, take off the plaster. 
They should never remain on longer than twent}^ mi- 
nutes ; as by that time the beneficial effect will be pro- 
duced, if at all. When a mustard plaster has been taken 
off, wash the part tenderly with a sponge and warm 
water. If the irritation on the skin continues trouble- 
some, apply successive poultices of grated bread-crumbs 
wetted with lead water, 

25 



290 

A mustard plaster behind the ear will often remove a 
toothache, earache, or a rheumatic pain in the head. 
Applied to the wrists they will frequently check an ague- 
fit, if put on as soon as the first symptoms of chill evince 
themselves. 



OPODELDOC. — Take an ounce of gum camphor; 
half a drachm of oil of rosemary ; half a drachm of oil of 
origanum ; two ounces of castile soap cut small ; and half 
a pint of spirits of wine. Boil these all together for half 
an hour after the boiling has commenced. Let the mix- 
ture cool in the vessel, and then bottle it for use. It is a 
good embrocation for bruises, sprains, stiffness of the neck 
and shoulder, and for rheumatic pains. 

CAMPHOR SPIRITS.— Break up into small bits an 
ounce of gum camphor, and put it into a pint glass bottle. 
Then fill up with spirits of wine, cork it, and leave the 
camphor to dissolve, shaking it occasionally. This will 
be found quite as good as the camphor spirits obtained at 
the druggist's, and the cost will be far less. It is well to 
keep a bottle of it always in the house. When taken to 
remove faintness or nervous affections, pour a few drops 
into a wine-glass of water. Camphor kept for external 
use is best when dissolved in whisky, as it produces less 
irritation of the skin than when melted in alcohol. 

The pain of a fly-blister will be much alleviated by 
sprinkling powdered gum camphor thickly over the sur- 
face of the plaster before it is put on. This should 
always be done. 

REMEDY FOR ARSENIC— Dissolve a few scru- 
ples of sulphuret of potash in half a pint, or a pint of 
water, and administer it a little at a time, as the patient 
can boar it; having first given the white of an egg. 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 291 

Another remedy fs to mix two tea-spoonfuls of made 
mustard with sufficient warm water to thin it, so as to 
make it easy to swallow. It acts as an emetic, and is 
good for any poison. 

ANTIDOTE TO CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE.— 

If corrosive sublimate (one of the worst poisons) has been 
swallowed, immediately drink a large quantity of olive 
oil, even the whole contents of a flask ; or more, indeed, 
if that is not found sufficient. This remedy, if taken in 
time, is always efficacious. If it cannot be immediately 
obtained, try white of egg. 

REMEDY FOR AN OVER-DOSE OF LAUDA- 
NUM. — A cup of the strongest possible coffee has been 
known to keep the patient awake, and effect a positive 
cure when all other means have failed. After the fatal 
sleep has been thus prevented, and the patient is tho- 
roughly roused, and excited, let an emetic be administered. 



MEDICATED PRUNES.— Take a quarter of an 
ounce of senna and manna (obtained ready mixed from 
the druggists') and pour on it not quite a pint of boiling 
water. Cover it ; set it by the fire ; and let it infuse for 
an hour. If the vessel in which you prepare it has a 
spout, stop up the spout with a roll or wad of soft paper. 
This should always be done in making herb teas, or other 
decoctions ; as a portion of the strength evaporates at 
the spout. When the infusion of senna and manna has 
thus stood an hour at the fire, strain it into a skillet or 
sauce-pan (one lined with porcelain will be best) and stir 
in a large wine-glass or a small teacup-full of West India 
molasses. Add about half a pound or more of the best 
prunes ; putting in sufficient prunes to absorb all the 
liquid during the process of stewing. Then cover the 



292 the lady's receipt-book. 

vessel closely, and let it stew (stirring it up occasionally) 
for an hour ; or till you find the stones of the prunes are 
all loose. If stewed too long, the prunes will taste weak 
and insipid. When done, put it into a dish to cool ; and 
pick out all the stones. If properly prepared there will 
be no perceptible taste of the senna and manna. It may 
be given to children at their lunch or supper. 



FINE HOARHOUND CANDY.— Take a large 
bunch of the herb hoarhound, as green and fresh as you 
can get it. Having picked it clean, and washed it, cut it 
up (leaves and stalks) with scissors. Scald, twice, a china 
tea-pot or a covered pitcher ; then empty it of the hot 
water. Put in the hoarhound, pressing it down with 
your hands. The pot should be about two-thirds full of 
the herb. Then fill it up with boiling water ; cover it 
closely, and wedge a small roll of paper tightly into the 
mouth of the spout, to prevent any of the strength escap- 
ing with the steam. Set it close to the fire to infuse, 
and keep it there till it begins to boil. Then immediately 
take it away, and strain it into another vessel. Mix with 
the liquid sufficient powdered loaf-sugar to make it a very 
thick paste. When the sugar is in, set it over the fire, 
and give it a boil, stirring and skimming it well. Take a 
shallow, square tin pan, grease it slightly with sweet oil, 
and put into it the candy, as soon as it is well boiled ; 
smoothing the surface with a wet knife-blade. Sift over 
it some powdered sugar. Set it away to cool ; and when 
nearly congealed, score it in squares. It is a well-known 
remedy for coughs and hoarseness. 

If you find it too thin, you may stir in, while boiling, 
a spoonful of flour, of arrow-root, or of finely-powdered 
starch. 

Another way of making this candy is, to boil the hoar- 
hound in barely as much water as will cover it, and till 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 293 

all the juice is extracted. Then squeeze it through, a 
cloth, and give the strained liquid another boil, stirring 
in, gradually, sugar enough to make it very thick and 
stiff. Afterwards sift sugar over a shallow tin pan, fill it 
with the paste, and leave it to congeal; scoring it in 
squares before it is quite hard. 

Any herb-candy may be made as above. 

FINE LAVENDER COMPOUND.— For this pur- 
pose, use lavender buds, gathered just before they are 
ready to blow. As soon as the blossom expands into a 
flower, a portion of its strength and fragrance immediately 
evaporates. This is also the case with roses ; which, for 
rose-water, should always be gathered, not after they are 
blown, but when just about to open. 

Having stripped the lavender buds from the stalks, 
measure a pint of the buds, and mix with them half an 
ounce of whole mace ; half an ounce of whole cloves ; two 
nutmegs broken up, but not grated ; and half an ounce of 
powdered cochineal. Put the whole into a large glass 
jar, and pour in a quart of the best French brandy. 
Cover the jar closely ; making it completely air-tight by 
the addition of strong paper, pasted down over the cover. 
Set it away, and leave the ingredients to infuse, undis- 
turbed, for a month. Then strain it into a pitcher ; and 
from the pitcher pour it through a funnel into bottles ; 
corking them tightly. It is a well-known remedy for 
flatulence, and pains and sickness of the stomach. To 
use it, put some loaf-sugar into a spoon, and pour on suf- 
ficient lavender to soften the sugar ; then eat it. 

Instead of cochineal, you may give a fine red colour to 
lavender compound by tying up a quarter of an ounce of 
alkanet in a thin muslin bag, (seeing that the alkanet is 
free from dust,) and putting the bag into the jar while the 
other ingredients are infusing in the brandy. 
25* 



294 

BLACKBERRY SYRUP.— Take a sufficient quan- 
tity of fine, ripe, sweet blackberries. Put them into a 
sieve placed over a large broad pan ; and with a clean 
potatoe-masher, (or something similar,) mash the black- 
berries, and press out all their juice. Or (having bruised 
them first) put the blackberries into a linen bag, and 
squeeze out all the juice into a vessel placed beneath. 
Measure it; and to every quart of the strained juice 
allow half- a pound of powdered loaf-sugar; a heaped 
tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon; the same of pow- 
dered cloves ; and a large nutmeg grated. Mix the spices 
with the juice and sugar, and boil all together in a porcelain 
preserving-kettle ; skimming it well. When cold, stir 
into each quart of the syrup half a pint of fourth-proof 
brandy. Then bottle it for use. This is a good family 
medicine ; and is beneficial in complaints incident to 
summer. It should be administered, (at proper intervals,) 
from a tea-spoonful to a wine-glassful, according to the 
age of the patient. 



RHUBARB BITTERS.— Take two ounces of rhu- 
barb root ; half an ounce of cardamom seeds ; one drachm 
of Virginia snake-root; and half a drachm of gentian root. 
Put these articles into a large bottle, and pour on it a 
quart of good brandy. 

It is excellent for children in complaints incident to 
summer weather. 

TO PREVENT A JUG OF MOLASSES FROM 
RUNNING OVER.— A jug or bottle of molasses fre- 
quently causes inconvenience by working over at the top, 
after coming from the grocer's, and being set in a room or 
closet that is warmer than the place from which it was 
brought. To prevent this— as soon as you receive it, 
pour out a portion into another vessel ; for instance, into 



PERFUMERY, REMEDIES, ETC. 295 

a pitcher or bowl. Then set the jug of molasses into a 
deep pan or basin, and leave it uncorked till next day. 
By that time, all danger from fermentation will have sub- 
sided. Then cork it tightly, and set it away. Keep 
always under the bottom of the jug an old plate, or a 
double piece of thick paper to receive any drippings that 
may run down the sides. Never bring molasses to table 
without a plate or saucer under the vessel that contains it. 
West India molasses is far more wholesome and nou- 
rishing than any other, and is decidedly the best for 
gingerbread, molasses-candy, indian-puddings,&c. Sugar- 
house molasses, if used for those articles, will render them 
hard and tough. 

— ♦ — ■ 

TO EXTINGUISH A COAL FIRE.— Many per- 
sons who burn anthracite coal in their chambers, have 
suffered great inconvenience from not knowing how to 
extinguish it before they go to bed. The process is very 
simple, and always successful. Lift off with the tongs 
any large coals that may lie on the top, and lay them on 
the iron hearth of the grate ; they will make good cinders 
to burn next day in a close-stove or furnace. Then 
shut up the tongs, and with them make a hollow or deep 
cavity just in the centre of the fire, heaping up the coals 
like a hill on each side, and making the tongs go down 
to the bottom of the grate. If there are not many coals, 
you may do this with the poker. The fire will imme- 
diately begin to fade and deaden ; and in less than ten 
minutes, it will be entirely out, without farther trouble ; 
unless it has been very large, and then it may require a 
second stirring. 

In the morning, let the grate be cleared entirely of all 
the cinders and ashes, and swept out clean with a brush. 
Cover the bottom of the grate with a sort of flooring of 
small fresh coal, before you put in the kindlings ; other- 



296 

wise, after the kindlings (wood or charcoal) are lighted, 
they will burn away immediately, and fall through the 
bottom bars of the grate, before they have had time to 
ignite the coal that has been laid above them ; so that the 
grate will have to be again cleared out, fresh kindlings 
brought, and the fire built up anew, before it can possibly 
succeed. 

The above way of extinguishing a coal-fire answers 
equally well for a close-stove or a furnace. 

The heat of a grate may be considerably diminished 
by standing up the blower against it; the bottom of the 
blower resting on the hearth. To lessen the heat of a 
close-stove, leave open the large door of the stove. In the 
same manner diminish the heat of a furnace. 



297 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC, 



SODA SOAP. — Take six pounds of the best brown 
soap, and cut it into pieces. Put it into a large wash- 
kettle, and pour on seven gallons and a half of clear soft 
water. Next stir in six pounds of washing-soda, (sub- 
carbonate,) set it over the fire, and let it boil two hours 
after it has come to a boil. Then strain it into stone 
jars; cover it, and put it away. It must be used for 
white clothes only, as it will fade coloured things. Put 
the clothes in soak the night before, in tubs of cold water; 
having first rubbed the grease spots with wet fuller's 
earth, (scraped fine,) and the stains with wet cream of 
tartar. Allow a pound of the soda soap to a bucket of 
water, and put it over the fire in a wash-kettle. When 
the water is warm, put in as many white clothes as con- 
venient ; seeing that there is water enough to cover them 
well. Boil them an hour ; occasionally moving them up 
and down with the clothes-stick. Then take them out, 
and finish washing them in the usual way. The soda 
soap will whiten them very much ; but if used in a larger 
quantity than the above proportion, it will injure them 
greatly. We do not recommend any soda preparation 
for washing, unless it can be used under the immediate 
inspection of a good housekeeper ; most servants and 
washerwomen being very apt to employ it too freely, if 
left to themselves. 



SOFT SOAP MADE WITH POTASH.— Put 

twelve pounds of potash into a barrel, and then pour in 
water till the barrel is half full. Stir the potash several 
times, while it is dissolving in the water. Have ready 



298 

twelve pounds of good soap-fat, and melt it over the fire 
in a large kettle. Then stir it, gradually, into the barrel 
with the dissolved potash. After standing a quarter of 
an hour, fill up the barrel with cold w#ter ; and stir it 
hard. This process will form an excellent soft soap. 



COLD STARCH FOR LINEN.— Take a quarter 
of a pint, or as much of the best raw starch as will half 
fill a common-sized tumbler. Fill it nearly up with very 
clear cold water. Mix it well with a spoon, pressing out 
all the lumps, till you get it thoroughly dissolved, and 
very smooth. Next add a tea-spoonful of salt to prevent 
its sticking. Then pour it into a broad earthen pan ; 
add, gradually, a pint of clear cold water ; and stir and 
mix it well. Do not boil it. 

The shirts having been washed and dried, dip the 
collars and wristbands into this starch, and then squeeze 
them out. Between each dipping, stir it up from the 
bottom with a spoon. Then sprinkle the shirts, and fold 
or roll them up, with the collars and wristbands folded 
evenly inside. They will be ready to iron in an hour. 

This quantity of cold starch is amply sufficient for the 
collars and wristbands of half a dozen shirts. Any article 
of cambric muslin may be done up with cold starch made 
as above. 

Poland starch is better than any other. It is to be had 
at most grocery stores. 

Cold starch will not do for thin muslin, or for any thing 
that is to be clapped and cleared. It is very convenient 
for linen, &c, in summer, as it requires no boiling over 
the fire. Also, it goes farther than boiled starch. 

TO WASH WHITE SATIN RIBBON.— Make a 

strong lather of clear cold water and the best white soap. 
Squeeze and press the ribbon through this, till it looks 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 299 

quite clean ; but do not rub it, as that will cause it to fray. 
Then make a fresh lather of white soa"p and cold water, 
and squeeze the ribbon through that. Do not rinse it, 
as the suds remaining in the ribbon will give it the proper 
stiffness. Pull and stretch it evenly ; and then iron it 
on the wrong side while it is still damp. When quite 
dry, roll it on a ribbon-block ; wrap it closely in coarse 
brown paper ; and put it away till you want to use it. 
None but plain unfigured white satin ribbon of very good 
quality, can be washed to advantage. The day before 
washing it, rub some magnesia upon any grease that 
may be on the ribbon, and some cream of tartar on the 
stains. 

In winding several pieces of ribbon on the same block, 
always put the end of each successive piece under that 
of the last, instead of over it ; and wind the whole tight 
and smoothly. Secure the last end with two very small 
minikin pins; as large pins will make conspicuous holes 
all through, and probably leave a brassy or greenish stain. 
The ribbon-block should on no account be narrower than 
the ribbon. 

A small white silk handkerchief may be washed as 
above, if thick and unfigured. 



TO CLEAN SILK SHAWLS OR SCARFS.— Mix 
together a quarter of a pound of soft soap ; a tea-spoonful 
of brandy ; and a pint of whisky or gin ; stirring them 
hard. Spread the shawl on a clean linen cloth, and with 
a clean sponge dipped in the mixture, go carefully over 
it on both sides. The shawl should be kept even, by 
placing weights along the edges. Dry it in the shade. 
Then wash (or rather squeeze it) in two or three cold 
waters without soap ; stretch it, and hang it out again ; 
and when almost dry, iron it. 



300 

TO CLEAN A SILK DRESS.— Rip the dress en- 
tirely apart. Take large raw potatoes, and allow a pint 
of cold water to each potatoe. Having pared the pota- 
toes, grate them into the basin of water. Cover it ; and 
let it stand three hours, or more. Then pour it carefully 
off, into a broad pan ; leaving the sediment or coarse part 
of the grated potatoes at the bottom of the basin. Having 
spread a clean linen cloth on a large ironing table, and 
put some irons down to the fire, lay the silk (a breadth at 
a time) upon the cloth, and with a clean sponge dipped 
in the potatoe-water, go all over it, on the wrong side. 
Then hang that breadth out upon a line ; stretch it evenly, 
and leave it to dry. Take another breadth ; sponge it 
with the potatoe-water ; hang it out ; and proceed in the 
same manner till all the silk is done. By the time the 
whole has been sponged and hung out, the first breadths 
will in all probability be dry enough to iron. It must 
be ironed on the wrong side. 

The sleeves must be taken out and ripped open, before 
sponging them. Each piece of the body must, of course, 
be done separately. 

FRENCH METHOD OF WASHING COLOURED 
SILK CRAVATS, SCARFS, SHAWLS, &c— Make a 
mixture of the following articles in a large flat dish. A 
large table-spoonful of soft soap, or of hard brown soap 
shaved fine, (white soap will not do,) a small tea-spoonful 
of strained honey, and a pint of spirits of wine. Have 
ready a large brush (for instance a clothes-brush) made 
perfectly clean. Lay the silk on a board or on an ironing- 
table ; stretching the article evenly, and securing it in its 
place by weights set round upon its edges. Then dip 
the brush into the mixture, and with it go all over the 
silk, lengthways of the texture ; beginning at that part 
of the silk which is least seen when worn ; and trying a 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 301 

little at a time till you have ascertained the effect. If 
you find the colour of the silk changed by the liquid, 
weaken it by adding a little more spirits of wine. 
Brocaded silks cannot be washed this way. 

Having gone carefully over the whole of the article, 
dip it, up and down, in a bucket of clean water, but do 
not squeeze or wring it. Repeat this through another 
clean water, and then through a third. Afterwards 
spread it on a line to dry, but without any squeezing or 
wringing. Let it dry slowly. While still damp, take it 
down ; pull it, and stretch it even; then roll or fold it up; 
and let it rest a few minutes. Have irons ready, and iron 
the silk ; taking care that the iron is not so hot as to 
change the colour. 

The above quantity of the washing-mixture is suffi- 
cient for about half a dozen silk handkerchiefs ; for a silk 
apron ; or for one shawl ; or for two scarfs, if not very 
long. If there is fringe on the scarfs it is best to take it 
off and replace it with new ; or else to gather the ends of 
the scarfs, and finish them with a tassel or ball. 

Gentlemen's silk or chaly cravats may be made to look 
very well washed in this manner. Ribbons also, if thick 
and rich. Indeed whatever is washed by this process 
should be of excellent quality. A dress must be pre- 
viously taken apart. 

This is also a good method for washing a white blond 
veil or scarf; using a soft sponge instead of a brush, and 
making the mixture with rather less soap and honey. 
When dry, lay the blond in smooth even folds, within a 
large sheet of smooth nankeen paper. Press it for a 
few days in a large quarto or folio book. Do not iron it. 



TO MAKE THREAD LACE LOOK ALWAYS 
NEW. — Thread lace should never be sewed fast, or 
washed upon the article of which it forms the trimming. 
26 



302 the lady's receipt-book. 

It should be merely run on, or basted with short stitches ; 
so as to draw out the thread easily, when the lace is 
taken off for washing. The trouble is nothing in com- 
parison to the advantage. - In the first place, thread lace, 
to look well and last long, should never be touched with 
starch. Starching thread lace injures the texture, (caus- 
ing the threads to break,) and gives it a hard, stiff appear- 
ance. If sewed fast, and washed and done up with the 
muslin collar or pelerine, it shrinks and thickens up 
among the gathers, and partakes of the starch that has 
been used for the muslin ; and, of course, can have no 
resemblance to new lace that has never been washed at 
all. Again, it will not last half so long, as if always 
taken off, and done up separately from the muslin. 

Every lady should have at least two lace bottles, as it 
is not well to wind more than three or four yards of laee 
upon one bottle. They should be straight black bottles 
of the largest size, and it is well to buy them new for the 
purpose ; otherwise something of their former contents 
may come out when boiling, and injure the lace. Also 
there may be remains of wax, rosin, or some other ce- 
ment, lingering about the place where the cork was ; and 
this will melt in the water, and cause the lace to look 
streaked. The bottles being perfectly clean, (inside and 
out,) cover them with thick, strong, new white linen, 
sewed on tightly and smoothly, with coarse thread. 
When not in use, keep them wrapped up in clean paper. 

Having taken off the lace from the article on which it 
was basted, begin near the bottom of the bottle ; tack one 
end of the lace with a needle and strong thread to the 
linen ; and wind it smoothly round with the edge down- 
ward ; and all the scollops smooth, so that none may be 
creased or curled inward. Wind the lace on the bottle 
in such a manner as to leave the scolloped or pattern- 
edge visible all round; and finish just .below the neck of 



LAUNDRY- WORK, NEEDLE- WORK, ETC. 303 

the bottle. Then tack down with the needle and thread 
the last or terminating end of the lace. Early in the 
evening- put the bottle with the lace into a clean earthen 
or white- ware vessel, filled with clear cold water, and let 
it soak till bed-time. Then change the water, and let it 
soak all night. 

In the morning, fill a clean porcelain kettle, or a deep 
earthen pipkin, with a strong suds of clear soft water and 
the best white soap. Into this, put the bottle with the 
lace on it ; having tied a twine string round the neck of 
the bottle so as to make it fast to the handles or the rim 
of the vessel, that it may be kept as steady as possible 
while boiling. It must on no account be boiled in a tin 
or iron vessel, as the lace will then certainly be dis- 
coloured. Set the vessel over hot coals or in a stove ; 
and keep it boiling regularly till the lace looks quite 
white. If very dirty, it will be necessary to change the 
water for a clean fresh suds. It may boil from an hour 
to an hour and a half; but take it out as soon as it looks 
clean and white. Then turn up the bottle to drain off' the 
suds, and set it (without rinsing) in the sun. Keep it in 
the sun till the lace dries on the bottle. When quite 
dry, take it off; stretch or pull down each scollop sepa- 
rately with your thumb and finger ; and then wind the 
lace evenly and smoothly on a ribbon-block of somewhat 
broader width. You can get ribbon-blocks at the stores 
where ribbons are sold, and you will find them very use- 
ful. Wrap the block with the lace on it in soft brown 
. paper, and put it away till you want it for use. If you 
have no ribbon-block, fold or roll up a piece of smooth 
clean paper, and roll the lace round it. Never wrap any 
thing in printed paper. 

The above method of cleaning thread lace, (without 
rubbing, squeezing, rinsing, starching, or ironing,) as it 
is the most simple and easy, is also the most certain of 



304 

success. In fact we can confidently assert that there is 
no other so good ; and we only ask a trial of its efficacy ; 
well-assured that every lady who has once had her lace 
washed in this manner will continue it ; as it makes it 
look always new. Of course, it should be done on a 
clear bright day, and the hotter the sun the better. If 
you have more than one lace bottle to boil, they may be 
put into a brass or bell-metal wash-kettle, (previously 
made very clean,) but remember that no tin or iron must 
be used for this purpose. If the coating or lining of an 
enamelled or porcelain kettle is the least cracked or 
scaled off, do not boil the lace in it, or it will be stained 
with iron mould. 

Thread lace done exactly according to these directions, 
has the look, feel, transparency, and consistence of new 
lace that has never been washed at all ; and may easily 
be mistaken for it. Drying in the soap-suds gives it just 
the right stiffness, and it will last much longer than if 
washed in the old manner with squeezing, rinsing, starch- 
ing, clapping, and ironing. 

Before your lace is sewed on the bottle, look over it, 
and see if it requires any mending. There is a lace- 
stitch done with very fine thread, that, when neatly ex- 
ecuted, renders a mended place imperceptible. It may 
be learned in a few minutes by seeing it done, but cannot 
be described intelligibly. Those who have had no op- 
portunity of learning this stitch may mend lace very 
neatly by darning it with the finest possible thread; 
taking care not to make the darn too thick, or close, but 
imitating as nearly as possible the open texture of the 
lace. In quilling or setting on the lace, endeavour to 
conceal the darns under the pleats. 

Cotton lace cannot be cleaned in the foregoing manner, 
as it is too soft and fuzzy, and shrinks up too much. It 
requires squeezing, starching, clapping, and ironing. 



LAUNDRY- WORK, NEEDLE- WORK, ETC. 305 

WASHING BLACK LACE.— Every description of 
black silk lace (or of black Scotch blond) may be made 
to look extremely well by the following process ; either 
veils, shawls, scarfs, capes, sleeves, or trimming-lace. A 
black lace dress, must be previously taken apart, and all 
the loose threads or stitches carefully picked out. We 
will suppose the article that requires washing to be a veil 
that has been worn long enough to look soiled and rusty. 
By exactly observing the following directions, it may be 
made to appear fresh, new, and of an excellent black ; 
provided always that it was originally of good quality, 
with no mixture of cotton in it. All lace articles of that 
brownish black, falsely called jet, are now mixed with 
cotton ; and frequently have no silk at all about them. 

In a large clean earthen pan, or a small tub, make a 
strong lather of white soap and clear soft water, warm 
but not hot. Mix with the suds a large table-spoonful 
of ox-gall. No family should be without a bottle of ox- 
gall, which can always be obtained from the butcher at a 
very trifling cost. The gall as soon as brought home 
should be opened, its liquid poured through a funnel into 
a clean black bottle, and tightly corked. You may per- 
fume it by putting in a grain of musk. It is useful in 
washing all sorts of coloured things, as it materially assists 
in preventing them from fading. Having stirred the gall 
well into the suds, put in the black lace veil, and work 
and squeeze it up and down through the lather for five 
minutes or more ; taking care not to rub it. Then 
squeeze it out well, open it loose, and shake it a little. 
Next, transfer it to a second suds of clean warm water 
and white soap ; adding a tea-spoonful of gall. Into this 
second lather infuse a large quantity of blue, pressed 
into the water from the indigo bag, and well stirred in. 
Having worked the veil up and down through this second 
suds for about ten minutes, alternately loosening it out, 
26* 



306 the lady's receipt-book. 

and squeezing it up, but not rubbing it. Squeeze it 
finally as dry as you can, and then open it out widely. 

Have ready in another pan some glue-stiffening, made 
as follows : On a bit of glue about the size of a shilling 
pour two jills, or a half-pint, of boiling water, and let it 
dissolve. After the glue is entirely melted, add to it a 
quart of cold water; and then make it very blue by 
squeezing into it a large portion of indigo from the blue- 
bag. Stir it well, and then put in the veil, rinsing and 
squeezing it up and down through the stiffening water. 
Having done this sufficiently, squeeze out the veil as dry 
as you can get it ; then open it, stretch it, and clap it all 
over. Next, fold it evenly ; roll it up in a thick clean 
towel ; and let it rest for a quarter of an hour or more. 

Spread a large clean linen cloth on your clothes-line, 
and hang the veil (well spread out) upon the cloth. 
"When nearly, but not quite dry, take down the veil, and 
clap and stretch it again. Have warm irons ready. Lay 
a clean linen cloth over your blanket, and press the veil 
smoothly on the wrong side ; first trying the irons on an 
old piece of thin black silk, crape, or gauze ; lest they 
should be too hot for the lace, and scorch or discolour it. 

The foregoing process (followed exactly) will restore 
to any article of good black silk lace that has become 
brown and soft by wearing, the deep black colour and 
consistence it had when new. 

Be careful not to have too much glue, and to put 
plenty of indigo-blue into the second suds and into the 
stiffening water. 

Before washing the veil, rip open the casing at the top, 
and remove the string. Afterwards, make a new case, 
and draw it with a new ribbon. 

TO WASH A WHITE LACE SCARF.— Fold up 
the scarf, and lay it in a thin cambric handkerchief, 



LAUNDRY- WORK, NEEDLE- WORK, ETC. 307 

folded over so as to enclose the scarf, and secured by 
basting it slightly with a needle and thread. Dip it in 
cold water. Make a strong lather with white soap and 
warm water ; put the scarf, &c, into it, and let it rest all 
day. In the evening, make a fresh lather, and leave the 
scarf in it all night, (having first squeezed it well.) Next 
morning, make some thin starch. Shave small a quarter 
of a cake of white wax, and put it into two quarts of soft 
water; adding six lumps of loaf-sugar, and a table-spoon- 
ful of thin-made starch. Put these articles into an earthen 
pipkin or a porcelain kettle, and set it over the fire. On 
no account use, for this purpose, a vessel of any sort of 
metal, as it will discolour the lace. When the mixture 
has come to a boil, put in the scarf, (still folded in the 
handkerchief,) and boil it ten minutes. Then take it 
out, open the handkerchief, and if you do not find it per- 
fectly white, return it to the pipkin, and boil it longer. 
Afterwards, take it out of the handkerchief, and throw 
the scarf into cold water. Squeeze and press it, till it 
drips no longer. Then open it out ; stretch it even ; and 
hang it in the sun. When almost dry, take it in, and 
iron it carefully on a linen cloth. 

A veil, a shawl, or a pelerine of white lace may be 
washed in this manner. 

TO CLEAN GOLD OR SILVER EMBROIDERY. 

— Warm some spirits of wine, and apply it with a bit of 

clean sponge. Then dry it, by rubbing it with soft, new 

canton flannel. . Gold or silver lace may be cleaned thus. 

Also, jewelry. 

— * — 

WASHING AMERICAN CHINTZES.— American 

chintzes, of good quality, (such as are sold at twelve or 
fourteen cents per yard,) can be washed so as to retain 
their colours, and look as bright as when quite new. 



308 the lady's receipt-book. 

The water must be quite clean, and merely warm, but by 
no means hot. Rub the soap into the water, so as to form 
a strong lather, before you put in the dress. Add to the 
lather a handful of fine salt. Wash the chintz through 
two warm waters, making a lather in the second also, and 
adding salt. The salt will keep the colours from running. 
Then rinse it through two cold waters ; putting a table- 
spoonful of vinegar into each, before the dress goes in. 
This will brighten the colours. Immediately, wring out 
the dress, and hang it up to dry ; but not in the sun. 
When nearly dry, (so as to be just damp enough to iron,) 
have irons ready heated ; bring in the dress ; stretch it 
well, and iron it on the wrong side. If allowed to be- 
come quite dry on the line, and then sprinkled and rolled 
up, and laid aside to be ironed next day, the colours may 
run from remaining damp all night. 

An imported chintz, a gingham, or a mousseline de 
lame, may be washed in the above manner ; which we 
know to be excellent ; substituting, for the salt, a table- 
spoonful of ox-gall in each water. All sorts of coloured 
dresses should be washed and ironed as quickly as possi- 
ble, when once begun. It is well to allot a day purposely 
to coloured dresses, rather than to do them with all the 
other things on the regular washing-day. If washed in 
half-dirty suds, and left soaking in the rinsing-water, the 
colours will most assuredly run and fade, and the dress 
look dingy all over. 

Of course, nothing that has any colour about it should 
be either scalded, or boiled, or washed in hot water. 
Scalding, boiling, and hot-water washing are only for 
things entirely white. 

PRESERVING THE COLOURS OF DRESSES.— 

Before washing a new dress, try a small piece of the ma- 
terial, and see if the colours are likely to stand of them- 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 309 

selves. They are generally fast, if the article is so well 
printed that the wrong side is difficult to distinguish from 
the right. If you obtain from the store a small slip for 
testing the durability of the colours, give it a fair trial, by 
washing it through two warm waters with soap, and then 
rinsing it through two cold waters. No colours what- 
ever will stand, if washed in hot water. Some colours, 
(very bright pinks and light greens particularly,) though 
they may bear washing perfectly well, will change as soon 
as a warm iron is applied to them ; the pink turning pur- 
plish, and the green bluish. 

The colours of merinoes, mousselines de laine, ging- 
hams, chintzes, printed lawns, &c, may be preserved in 
washing by mixing a table-spoonful of ox-gall in the first 
and second waters, (which should not be more than luke- 
warm,) and making a lather of the soap and water before 
you put in the dress, instead of rubbing the soap on it 
afterwards. At the last, to brighten the colours, stir into 
the second rinsing-water a small tea-spoonful of oil of 
vitriol, if the dress is that of a grown person ; for a child's 
dress, half a tea-spoonful will suffice. If washed at home, 
one of the ladies of the family should herself put in the 
vitriol, as, if left to the servants, they may injure the 
dress by carelessly putting in too much. Vitriol is excel- 
lent for preserving light or delicate colours. 

The colours of a common calico or mousseline de laine 
may be set by putting into each of the two warm waters 
a large handful of salt, and into each rinsing water a tea- 
spoonful of vinegar. 

No coloured articles should be allowed to remain in the 
water, as soaking will cause the colours to run in streaks. 
As soon as the dress is washed and rinsed, let it be im- 
mediately wrung out, hung in the shade, and, as soon as 
dry enough, taken in and ironed at once. Each dress 



310 the lady's receipt-book. 

should be washed separately. The washing of dresses 
should only be undertaken in fine weather. 

PUTTING AWAY WOOLLENS.— The introduc- 
tion of furnaces, for the purpose of warming houses, is 
supposed to be one cause of the great increase of moths, 
cockroaches, and other insects that now, more than ever, 
infest our dwellings. For moths, particularly, the usual 
remedies of camphor, tobacco, pepper, cedar-shavings, 
&c, seem no longer sufficiently powerful ; perhaps be- 
cause their odour so soon evaporates. Still it is well to 
try them when nothing better can be done ; and they are 
sometimes successful. Camphor and tobacco-shreds will 
be found much more efficacious if (after interspersing 
them among the furs or woollens) each fur or woollen ar- 
ticle is carefully and closely pinned up in newspapers ; 
so closely as to leave no aperture or opening, however 
small. The printing-ink has a tendency to keep off 
moths and other small insects. The papers used for this 
purpose should be those that are printed with ink of a 
good quality, not liable to rub off, and soil the things en- 
closed. We highly recommend this mode of preserving 
furs and woollens. 

But the following method of putting away all the wool- 
len, worsted, and fur articles of the house, will be found 
an infallible preservative against moths ; and the cost is 
trifling, in comparison with the security it affords of find- 
ing the things in good order when opened for use on the 
return of cold weather. Procure at a distiller's, or else- 
where, a tight empty hogshead that has held w T hisky. 
Have it well cleaned, (without washing,) and see that it 
is quite dry. Let it be placed in some part of the house 
that is little used in the summer, where there is no damp, 
and where it can be shut up in entire darkness. 

After the carpets have been taken up, and well shaken, 



LAUNDRY- WORK, NEEDLE- WORK, ETC. 311 

and beaten, and the grease spots all removed, let them be 
folded and packed closely down in the cask, which can 
be reached by means of a step-ladder. Put in, also, the 
blankets ; having first washed all that were not clean ; 
also the w^oollen table-covers. If you have worsted or 
cloth curtains and cushion-covers, pack them in likewise, 
after they have been thoroughly freed from dust. Also, 
flannels, merinos, cloaks, coats, furs, and, in short, every 
thing that is liable to be attacked by the moths. It is 
well to rip the cloaks from the collars, and the skirts of 
pelisses from the bodies, before packing, as they can be 
folded more smoothly, and so as to occupy less space. Fold 
and pack all the articles closely, and arrange them to ad- 
vantage, so as to fit in well, and fill up ail hollows and 
vacancies evenly. If well-packed, one hogshead will 
generally hold all the woollen and fur articles belonging 
to a house of moderate size, and to a moderate-sized 
family. But if one. is not enough, it is easy to get 
another. When the cask is filled, nail the head on 
tightly, and let the whole remain undisturbed till the 
warm weather is over. If the house is shut up, and the 
family out of town in the summer, you may safely leave 
your woollens, &c, put away in this manner. Choose a 
clear, dry day for unpacking them in the autumn ; and, 
when open, expose them all separately to the air, till the 
odour of the whisky is gone off. If they have been put 
away clean, and free from dust, it will be found that the 
whisky-atmosphere has brightened their colours. As 
soon as the things are all out of the cask, head it up 
again immediately, and keep Jt for the same use next 
summer. If more convenient, you may have the cask 
sawed in two before you pack it. In this case, you must 
get an extra head for one of the halves. 

In putting away woollens for the season, always keep 
out a blanket for each bed, and some flannel for each 



312 the lady's receipt-book. 

member of the family, in case of occasional cold days, or 

easterly rains in the summer. 

Have no hair trunks about the house ; they always 

produce moths. 

— ♦ — 

TO CLEAN WHITE FUR.— Take a sufficiency of 
dry starch, very finely powdered, and sift it, through a fine 
sieve, into a broad, clean, tin pan. Set the pan near 
enough the fire for the powdered starch to get warm, 
stirring it frequently. Then roll and tumble about the 
white fur among the powdered starch, till it is well 
saturated. Shut it up closely in a bandbox, and let it 
remain unopened for a fortnight. It will then look 
clean. 

When you put away white fur in the spring, proceed 
as above, (using a very large quantity of the pulverized 
starch,) and put into the box some lumps of camphor tied 
up in thin white papers. Keep the box closely shut 
through the summer, and do not open it to look at the 
fur till you want it for cold weather. It will then be 
found a good clean white. 

In joining pieces of fur or swans-down, lay the two 
edges together, and pass the needle and thread back and 
forward on the wrong side, (in the way that carpet-seams 
are sewed,) so as to unite the edges evenly and flat with- 
out making a ridge. Then line every seam by sewing 
or running strong tape along it, of course on the wrong 
side. Unless they are strengthened in this manner with 
tape, the stitches are liable, after a while, to give way, 
and the seams or joins to gape open, making rents inside 
that are very difficult to repair. 



TO KEEP A MUFF. Always when returning a 
muff to its box, give it several hard twirls round. This 
will smooth the fur, and make all the hairs lie the 



LAUNDRY- WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC, 313 

same way. To prevent the wadding inside the muff 
from sinking downwards, and falling into clods, keep the 
muff-box always lying on the side, instead of standing 
it upright. When you put it away till next winter, place 
within it some lumps of camphor wrapped in papers, 
and sprinkle the outside of the fur with powdered cam- 
phor. Then enclose the muff, completely, in one or two 
large newspapers, sewing or pinning them entirely over 
it, sides and ends, so that nothing can possibly get in. 
Do the same with all your furs ; and after putting them 
away with these precautions, open them no more till the 
return of cold weather. The printing ink on the papers 
will assist in keeping out moths. 

TAKING CARE OF PICTURES.— An excellent 
way to preserve an oil-picture from the injuries of damp, 
mould, and mildew, is to take the precaution of covering 
the back of the canvas (before nailing it on the straining 
frame) with a coating of common white lead paint ; and 
when that is dry, give it a second coat. If you buy a 
picture that has been framed without this precaution, do 
not neglect having the back of it coated as above, before 
you hang it up. 

The simplest way of cleaning an oil-picture, is to 
mix some whisky and water very weak. If the mixture 
is too strong of the liquid, it may take off the paint, or 
otherwise injure it. Dip into the mixture a very soft 
and very clean sponge, which you must first ascertain to 
be perfectly free from sand, grit, or any extraneous object. 
A good way to soften and clean a sponge, is to boil it in 
several successive waters, till there is no longer any ap- 
pearance of sand at the bottom of the vessel. Having 
carefully washed the picture with the sponge and whisky- 
water, dry it by going over it with a cle#n soft silk hand- 
kerchief.- This is all that can be safely attempted by 
27 



314 

any one who is not a regular picture cleaner. Therefore, 
if the picture is smoked or much soiled, it is best to send 
it to a person who makes picture-cleaning his profession. 
Many a good picture has been destroyed by injudicious 
cleaning. 

Till it has been made perfectly clean^ no picture should 
be re-varnished ; otherwise the fresh varnish will work 
up the dirt, and make it look worse than ever. As long 
as a picture is the least wet (either with paint or varnish) 
it should be carefully guarded from dust ; the smallest 
particles of which by drying into the surface will injure 
it irreparably. No sweeping or dusting should be per- 
mitted where there is a picture not perfectly and 
thoroughly dry. If there is a fire in the room it should 
not be stirred, replenished, or touched in any way till the 
picture has been previously carried out, lest some of the 
flying ashes might stick to it. 

When a picture is finished, it would always be well 
for the artist to inscribe on the back of the canvas the 
subject of the painting, the date of its completion, his 
own name and that of the person for whom it was painted. 
In short, a concise history of the picture, arranged some- 
what like the title-page of a book. Had this excellent 
practice always prevailed, there would be no occasion 
for any doubts and controversies concerning the works of 
the old masters. 

A PORTRAIT PAINTER'S TRAVELLING BOX. 

— The large wooden box for the easel and other things 
indispensable to a portrait painter, when travelling pro- 
fessionally, should be made broad, low, and square, so 
that it may be used as a platform on which to place the 
chair of the sitter. When unpacked of its contents, and 
appropriated to*this purpose, the box must be turned 
bottom upwards, and concealed under a cover of carpeting 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 315 

or drugget brought along with it. The cover should fit 
smoothly and closely, and be so made that it can be lifted 
off, and folded up, whenever the platform is again to be 
used as a box, 

TRAVELLING BOXES.— As bandboxes are no 
longer visible among the baggage-articles of ladies, the 
usual way of carrying bonnets, caps, muslins, &c, is in 
tall square wooden boxes, covered with black canvas or 
leather, edged with strips of iron and brass nails, and 
furnished with a tray for small things. They are usually 
lined with paper or calico pasted all over the inside. This 
lining, however, is apt to peel off in places where most 
rubbed ; and is then very troublesome ; catching the 
corners of the tray so as to prevent its being lifted out. 
To obviate this inconvenience, when you bespeak the 
box, direct that the inside, instead of being lined with 
pasted paper or calico, shall be planed smooth, and 
either stained of some colour, or left the natural tint of 
the wood. It is best that the tray should have a close 
bottom of strong linen. When there are only strips 
nailed across, (like open lattice-work,) the small articles 
laid upon them are always falling through. 

A small bandbox can be easily carried inside of a trunk 
or box, keeping it steady by filling in heavy articles 
closely round it. The best way of securing a bandbox- 
lid, is to have a hole made in the rim or top of the lid, 
and a corresponding hole in the side of the bandbox, near 
its cover. Through each of these holes pass a string of 
ribbon or ferret ; securing one end by a large knot inside, 
and leaving the other end outside ; so that you can tie 
them together in a bow-knot. It is besrto have two pair 
of these strings, one pair on each side of the bandbox. 

Let your whole name (not merely the initials) be 
painted in white or yellow letters on each of your 



316 the lady's receipt-book. 

travelling trunks or boxes ; and also the name of the 
town in which you live. Have also your name and 
residence painted in black on the leather part of your 
carpet-bag. 

If you are clever at lettering, you can mark your 
trunks yourself with a small brush and a saucer of ready- 
mixed paint, which you may buy at a paint-shop for a 
few cents. The more conspicuously your baggage is 
lettered, the less liable you are to lose it. To make it 
still more easily distinguished, tie on the handles of each 
article a bit of ribbon ; the same colour on every one — 
for instance, all blue or all red. 

On returning home, let all the travelling cases, bags, 
straps, keys, &c, be kept together in one trunk ; so that 
when preparing for your next journey you may know 
exactly where to find them. 



A RIBBON SACK.— These bags are quite pretty, 
and very convenient for a short journey, or a visit of a 
day or two in the country. While on the journey, they 
are to be carried in the hand, and may contain whatever 
is necessary for a short absence from home ; for instance, 
clean night-clothes, tightly rolled up ; stockings ; hand- 
kerchiefs ; sewing materials ; books, &c. To make a 
ribbon sack, take five or six pieces of very broad, very 
thick, strong ribbon ; each piece at least three-quarters 
of a yard in length. Sew all these stripes closely to- 
gether, with very strong sewing-silk. Then fold or 
double this piece of joined ribbons, leaving one end half a 
finger longer than the other. Sew up the two sides as 
you would a pillow-case, so as to form a square sack with 
a flap to turn over at the top. Round off, with your 
scissors, both corners of this flap, so as to make its edge 
semicircular. Then bind the top or mouth all round 
(flap and straight-sides) with thick velvet ribbon of a dark 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 317 

Colour. Cover, with the same velvet ribbon, a very thick 
strong cotton cord about three quarters of a yard in 
length ; and sew its two ends to the tops of the side- 
seams ; so as to form an arched handle like that of a 
basket. Work an upright button-hole near the edge of 
the flap, and sew on a handsome button to meet it, a little 
below the straight edge of the bag's mouth. If the ribbon 
is very thick and strong (broad belt-ribbon for instance) 
no lining will be necessary. Also, no lining is required 
if the sack is of stout old-fashioned brocade. No other 
sort of silk will be strong enough without a lining. 

A LADY'S SHOE-BAG.-— Take a piece of strong 
linen or ticking. Fold or double it so as to leave a flap 
to turn over at the top. Then, with very strong thread, 
stitch the bag into compartments — each division large 
enough to contain, easily, a pair of shoes. Next sew up 
the sides, and bind the flap with broad tape. Put strings 
or buttons to the flap so as to tie it down. The shoes, 
when put in, must be laid together with the heel of one 
to the toe of the other ; and if they are slippers with 
strings, tie the strings closely round both. These shoe- 
bags are very convenient when you are travelling. 



A BOOT-BAG. — Take a piece of very strong brown 
linen or Russia sheeting ; about a yard in length, and 
three-quarters wide. Fold it in the form of a pillow- 
case, and sew up the sides ; leaving it at the open or top- 
end about a finger's length (or four inches) longer at the 
back than at the front, so as to turn over like a flap. 
Hem this flap. Take two pieces of strong twilled tape, 
each about a yard or more in length. Double each tape 
in the middle, so as to make a double string. Sew these 
strings on one edge of the turn-over or flap, about half a 
quarter of a yard apart. Having rolled up each boot, 
27* 



318 the lady's receipt-book. 

put them, side by side, into the bag. Pull down the flap 
over the opening or mouth ; bring round the strings ; 
and tie them tightly. The boots can thus be carried in 
a trunk or carpet-bag, without injuring other articles. 



A TOWEL-CASE.— -Travellers often complain much 
of the difficulty of procuring nice towels, in steamboats, 
at country inns, and at taverns in remote places. This 
inconvenience may easily be obviated by putting a few 
of your own towels into your trunk. In case of being 
obliged to proceed on your journey before your towels 
are dry, take with you, on leaving home, a square oil- 
cloth or oiled silk case or bag, made like a large pocket- 
book with a flap to fold over, and to fasten down with 
two or more buttons and loops. Having squeezed your 
wet towels as dry as you can, fold or roll them into as 
small a compass as possible ; and put them into the case. 
Before you go to bed, take them out, and hang them about 
your room to dry. 

In this towel-case there maybe separate compartments 
for tooth-brushes, soap, and a sponge. 



CONVENIENT HAIR-BRUSHES.— We highly 
recommend to travellers those hair-brushes that have a 
looking-glass at the back, with a comb fixed on a pivot, 
and concealed beneath the mirror, so as to be drawn out 
when wanted. Those of black buffalo horn are the 
strongest. With one of these you may always have a 
comb and a small mirror at hand, all three occupying no 
more space than a simple hair-brush. 

A TRAVELLING-CASE FOR COMBS AND 
BRUSHES. — Get about three-quarters of a yard of 
strong oiled silk of the best quality — double it— -leaving 
one side, at the top, about half a quarter longer than the 



LAUNDRY- WORK, NEEDLE- WORK, ETC. 319 

other, so as to fold over like a flap. Sew it strongly up, 
at the bottom and sides, with a felled seam. Then stitch 
it lengthways into compartments, like an old-fashioned 
thread-case — except that the divisions must differ in size; 
taking care to make each division rather large, that the 
articles may go in easily, and not rub against each other. 
Make one compartment large enough to contain a hair- 
brush ; allot another to a comb ; others to tooth-brushes ; 
one to a nail-brush ; one to a clasp-knife ; one to a pair 
of scissors ; one to a vial of lavender or camphor ; one to 
a sponge ; and another to a cake of soap ; and a large one 
to hold a towel. In short, make the divisions according 
to the size and number of useful articles you require in 
travelling. Sew two pair of strings to the flap, and tie 
them fast when the articles are all in. Let your name 
be marked on the outside of the flap. 

This bag may be made of strong linen, or ticking. 
But oiled silk is better, as you can then put into it tooth- 
brushes and sponges when quite wet. If of oiled silk, 
let there be one compartment large enough to hold a wet 
towel. It is well in travelling always to take with you 
some towels of your own ; and if after using them there 
is no time for drying, you can roll them up and carry 
them away wet, if you have furnished yourself with an 
oiled silk bag. 

TO CARRY INK WHEN TRAVELLING.— Have 

ready a small square bag of oiled silk, or thick buckskin, 
with a narrow tape string sewed on near the top. Buy 
a small six-cent vial of good ink. The vial must be 
broad and short with a flat bottom ; so that it will stand 
alone, and answer the purpose of an ink-stand. If the 
seal on the cork has been cut away, get a longer and 
better cork, and wedge it in as tightly as possible. Cut 
off a finger-end from an old kid glove ; put it over the 



320 the lady's receipt-book. 

cork, and draw it down closely till it covers both the top 
and the neck of the bottle, tying it on tightly with narrow 
tape. Then wrap the bottle in double blotting-paper, 
and put it into the little oil-cloth bag, securing the top 
well. To prevent all possibility of accidents, from ink 
stains, do not pack the ink-bottle in a trunk with your 
clothing, but keep it in your travelling-basket or reticule. 
We know that ink thus secured has been carried many 
hundred miles, with the convenience of being always at 
hand to write with, whenever wanted, in a steamboat or 
at a stopping-place. The best way of carrying quill-pens 
is in a pasteboard pen-case, to be had at the stationers for 
a trifle. Steel-pens may be wrapped in soft paper 
twisted at each end. 

We highly recommend a neat and convenient article 
called a travelling escritoir. It occupies no more space 
than a cake of scented soap, and is so ingeniously con- 
trived as to contain a small ink-bottle with a lid so close- 
fit-ting as to be perfectly safe ; a pen-holder ; a piece of 
sealing-wax; a wax taper; and some lucifer matches with 
sand-paper to ignite them on the bottom of the box. The 
whole apparatus can be safely carried in the pocket, or in 
a ladies reticule, or it may be put into a travelling-desk. 
It is to be purchased in Philadelphia, at Maurice By- 
water's stationery store, No. 151 Walnut street, near 
Fifth. We know nothing better for the purpose ; and 
the cost is trifling. 

BONNETS. — Before you send a straw bonnet to be 
whitened, it will be well to remove whatever stains or 
grease marks may be upon it. Do this yourself, as many 
professed bonnet-cleaners are either unacquainted with 
the best methods, or careless of taking the trouble ; and 
will tell you, afterwards, that these blemishes would not 
come out. You can easily remove grease marks from a 



LAUNDRY- WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 321 

straw, leghorn, or Florence braid bonnet, by rubbing the 
place with a sponge dipped in fresh camphine oil ; or by 
wetting it with warm water, and then plastering on some 
scraped Wilmington clay, or grease-ball ; letting it rest 
half an hour, and then repeating the application till the 
grease has disappeared. Magnesia rubbed on dry will 
frequently remove grease spots, if not very bad. To 
take out stains, discoloured marks, or mildew, moisten 
slightly with warm water some stain powder composed 
of equal portions of salt of sorrel and cream of tartar, 
well mixed together. Rub on this mixture with your 
finger. Let it rest awhile ; then brush it off, and rub on 
more of the powder. When the stain has disappeared, 
wash off the powder, immediately, and thoroughly, with 
warm water. By previously using these applications, no 
trace of grease or stain will remain on the bonnet, after 
it has undergone the process of whitening and pressing 
in the usual manner. 

In cleaning straw bonnets it is best to give them as 
much gloss and stiffening as possible. The gloss will 
prevent dust from sticking to the surface, and the stiff- 
ness will render them less liable to get out of shape when 
worn in damp weather. For a similar reason, the wire 
round the inside of the edge should in all bonnets be 
very thick and stout. If the wire is too thin, even the 
wind will blow the brim out of shape. 

An excellent way of cleaning and whitening straw 
or leghorn bonnets may be found in the House Book, 
page 67. 

In lining bonnets, always fit the lining on the outside 
of the brim. It is not only the least troublesome way, 
but the most certain of success. Nothing is more dis- 
figuring to a bonnet than an uneven puckered lining — 
left too loose in some places, and stretched too tight in 
others. If the lining is drawn more to one side than the 



322 

other, the brim will always set crookedly round the face. 
The best way, is first to fit upon the outside of the bon- 
net-front, a piece of thin, soft, white paper, pinning it on 
smoothly and evenly, with numerous pins. Then cut it 
the proper shape ; allowing it rather more than an inch 
all round larger than the brim. From this paper cut out 
the silk lining; allowing still more for turning in at the 
edges, on account of the silk ravelling. Then (having 
notched the edge of the lining all round) baste it on the 
inside of the brim, and try it on before the glass, previous 
to sewing it in permanently. See that it is perfectly 
smooth and even throughout. A white silk bonnet-lining 
should be of the most decided white, (a dead white, as it 
is called,) for if it has the least tinge of pearl, rose, blue 
or yellowish-white, it will be unbecoming to any face or 
complexion. Straw bonnets are frequently lined with 
white crape or tarletane. 

The lining of a silk or velvet bonnet should always be 
put in before the brim is sewed to the crown. 

In trimming a bonnet, after the bows, bands, &c.^have 
all been arranged with pins, sew them on with a needle 
and thread ; and afterwards withdraw the pins. If pins 
are allowed to remain in, they leave a greenish speck 
wherever they have been ; besides denting the straw, 
and probably tearing it. Also, sew on the flowers, after 
you have arranged them to your satisfaction. 

Bonnet strings when somewhat soiled may be cleaned 
by rubbing them with scraped Wilmington clay, or 
grease-ball, or else magnesia. Roll them on a ribbon- 
block with the clay upon them ; let them rest a few 
hours ; then brush off that clay, and put on some fresh. 
Roll the ribbon again on the block, and leave it till next 
day. You will find it look much cleaner. It is well 
always to buy an extra yard, or yard and a half of ribbon, 
to replace with new ones the bonnet strings when soiled. 



laundrytWork, needle- work, etc. 323 

To keep the bows of a bonnet in shape when put away 
in the bandbox, fill out each bow by placing rolls of wad- 
ding inside of all the loops. 

A piece of thin oiled silk introduced between the lining 
and the outside, partly beneath the upper part of the 
brim, and partly at the lower part of the crown, will pre- 
vent any injury to the bonnet from perspiration of the 
head, or oiliness of the hair. 

In bespeaking a bonnet of a milliner, always request 
her to senci you the frame to try on, before she covers it ; 
that you may see if it fits. 

When a bonnet is to be sent to a distant place in a 
wooden box, {bandboxes should never visibly travel,) to 
keep the bonnet steady, and prevent its tumbling or 
knocking about, sew very securely to the brim and back, 
some bits of strong tape, and fasten the other end of each 
bit of tape to the floor of the box, with very small tack 
nails. Fill all the loops and bows with wadding as above 
mentioned. A bonnet thus secured may travel uninjured 
from Maine to Texas. 



TO KEEP A BONNET WHITE.— If you have a 
white velvet or silk bonnet that looks well enough to 
wear a second season, lay beside it in the bandbox a 
cake of white wax, (such as you get at an apothecary's 
for sixpence or a shilling,) cover the bandbox closely, and 
do not on any account open it till you are about to take 
the bonnet again into wear. You will then find the cake 
of wax much discoloured, but the bonnet as white as ever. 
Shawls of white silk or canton crape, or indeed any white 
articles, may be kept in the same manner by putting a 
cake of white wax in the box with them, and not opening 
it so as to admit the external air, till the season for wear- 
ing them has returned. 

In bespeaking bandboxes, desire that they shall not be 



324 

lined with white paper. A lining of the coarsest brown 
paper is far preferable for preserving either the colours 
or the whiteness of any articles that are kept in them. 
The chloride of lime used in manufacturing white paper 
is very injurious to the colours of silks, and frequently 
causes in them spots and stains. The very coarse thick 
brown paper made of old ropes is far better ; as the tar 
remaining about it partakes somewhat of the qualities of 
turpentine, and is therefore a preservative to colours. 

White ribbons, blonds, &c, should be kept wound on 
ribbon-blocks, and wrapped in the coarse brown iron- 
monger's paper. 

— ♦ — • 

WHALEBONES AND HOOKS.— The whalebones 
for dresses should always be perfectly straight, for if 
crooked they draw the body crooked wherever they are, 
and give .it a warped or puckered look. Let them be 
stoUv also ; for if thin, they curve and break. In cutting 
them of the desired length, round off and smooth the edge 
of both ends ; for if left rough, square, or sharp they will 
very soon pierce through the dress. If you case them in 
linen or iwilled tape, make the covering double, for about 
an inch at each end ; and sew them on to the body-lining 
with very strong thread or silk. Secure them firmly and 
steadily at both ends, so that they may not slip up and 
down, and rub through to the outside of the body. For 
fastening dresses never use those hooks that have a sort 
of bulb, or that spread out near the point. They catch 
very badly, and are troublesome both to fasten and un- 
fasten. Do not put black hooks on dresses that are to be 
washed, as they cause iron-mould. When a dress comes 
home from the wash with any of the hooks flattened in 
ironing, raise or open them by inserting beneath the hook 
the points of your scissors. 

See that not a particle of coloured lining is introduced 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 325 

anywhere about a dress that is to be washed. No 
coloured lining-muslin will wash at all ; but its colour or 
dye will run and streak the outside of the dress so as to 
spoil it. However dark a washable dress may be, the 
lining should be entirely of white linen or brown holland ; 
the smallest bit of coloured muslin will spoil it when 
washed. 

On no consideration let even a dark or black chintz 
dress have any black cotton cord about it ; as when it 
comes from the wash it will be ruined with black streaks, 
from the dye of the cord. 

CUTTING OUT PATTERNS.— In taking the pat- 
tern or cutting out the shape of a cape, pelerine, mantilla, 
or any other article of dress, instead of using a newspaper 
for that purpose, (according to the general custom,) cut 
the pattern in coarse, low-priced muslin or calico. Then 
with a needle and thread sew or run all the different 
parts together, so that you can try it on and see if it fits, 
or if any alteration will be necessary in suiting it to your 
own figure. Cut out the whole of the pattern, and not 
merely the half; otherwise you will not be able to try it 
on conveniently. The stiffness of paper and its liability 
to tear, render it far less suitable for pattern-cutting 
than coarse muslin ; which, if not already in the house, 
can be bought for a mere trifle. 

TO HEM BOBBINET.— In making a collar, pele- 
rine, cape, scarf, or any article of bobbinet, you may hem 
it so as to prevent the usual inconvenience and disfigure- 
ment of the edges stretching out of shape after being 
washed, starched, and ironed. After turning down the 
hem, lay a very small cotton cord into the upper or ex- 
treme edge of the hem, and with a fine needle and thread 
secure the cord by running it closely along with short 
28 



326 

stitches. Having done this, lay a second small cord into 
the-other edge, or the edge that is to be hemmed down. 
It is well worth the trouble of thus going twice round with 
a cord at each edge of the hem ; which in consequence 
will remain ever firm and straight after the article has 
been washed. 

When any part of a bobbinet article is cut bias, or 
rounded in a semicircle, it will be best, instead of hem- 
ming, to face the edge with a bias slip of the same mate- 
rial, having a covered cording sewed in ; as in binding 
or facing the edge of a cape or pelerine. Without this 
precaution, the bias or rounded edge will lose all shape 
in being ironed. If new bobbinet is very stiff and full 
of creases, let it be damped and ironed before it is cut 
out. As bobbinet shrinks much in washing, every thing 
made of it should be allowed full large. It may be 
shrunk before cutting out, by dipping it into a pan or tub 
of cold water. As soon as it is wet all through, take it out 
and squeeze it with your hands till it ceases entirely to 
drip. Then open, stretch, and pull it, till you get it all 
straight and even. Next, fold it up smoothly, and wrap 
it in a clean towel. It will be ready for ironing by the 
time an iron can be heated ; first trying the iron on some- 
thing very thin. 

A bobbinet, or any clear muslin dress should have the 
hems and tucks drawn out before washing; renewing 
them after the dress is done up. The dress will never 
look well, if washed and clear-starched with the hem, 
&c, remaining in. 

TO STRENGTHEN THE HEM OF A SILK 
DRESS. — In silk dresses the edge of the hem at the 
bottom of the skirt is apt to wear out (or cut as it is called) 
very soon, and look faggled or ravelled. To prevent this, 
get some broad strong silk braid of the same colour as the 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 327 

dress, or a little darker, (but on no account lighter,) and 
run it on to the edge, on both sides, like a binding ; with 
strong silk, and short close stitches. 



TO MAKE A COAT-DRESS OR GOWN SIT IN 
CLOSELY TO THE WAIST.— On finishing the 
dress, take about a yard and a half (more or less) of 
rather broad twilled tape. Sew the tape strongly in 
three places to the lower extremity of the inside of the 
back, exactly where the body joins the skirt; using 
sewing-silk the colour of the dress. The tape must 
be fastened precisely in the middle, and at each of the 
side seams of the back. When you put on the dress 
bring the tape round (pulling it downwards as you do so) 
and tie it in front under the skirt, and just below the ter- 
mination of the fore-body. By drawing the dress closely 
into the waist, it makes the back look hollow, and is a 
great improvement to the figure. 



CORDING DRESSES.— A dress that is to be washed, 
should be corded with the same material. A merino or 
mousseline de laine, if corded with silk, will be disfigured, 
after washing, by the silk always fading and making the 
dress look old. But a balzorine or barege had best be 
corded with silk, as they rarely bear washing, and the 
material is so slight that, if used for cording, it will fray 
and wear off almost directly. The silk should be of the 
darkest colour in the dress. Satin should always be 
corded with silk, (and silk of the best quality,) as satin 
cording ravels and frays immediately. Velvet also should 

have silk cording. 

— ♦ — i 

DIRECTIONS FOR WORKING SLIPPERS.— 

Half a yard of canvas is a full pattern for a large pair 



328 

of slippers. If the canvas is of extra width, three 
quarters of a yard will make two pair. It is well to get 
your shoemaker to cut out for you the size and form, in 
a piece of paper. They will look immensely large 
before they are made up, but will not be found so after- 
wards. 

Coloured engravings of slipper patterns are for sale in 
all the worsted and trimming stores. In making your 
selections, it is best to avoid those patterns that have 
white in them ; as the white crewel will look soiled very 
soon, and give a dirty appearance to the whole slipper. 
You may, however, contrive to substitute for the white 
stitches the palest possible tints of pink, blue, or yellow. 

To work one pair of slippers, you will require from 
fifteen to twenty skeins of crewel. In selecting the 
crewel, place beside you the pattern, that you may match 
the tints with it ; choosing them so as to correspond pre- 
cisely with those in the coloured engraving. It is best 
to go exactly by the pattern. If varied according to your 
own fancy, they will rarely look as well as when done in 
precise conformity to the taste and judgment of the prac' 
tised artist, who has designed the plate and its colouring. 
Generally speaking, you should have at least from four 
to six shades of each colour ; the darkest to be nearly 
black, the lightest nearly white ; otherwise the effect will 
be dull and indistinct. Strong lights and shades are 
always of importance to brightness and beauty ; even in 
worked slippers. 

Wind the crewels, separately, in balls ; and have a 
sufficient number of needles, so as to appropriate a needle 
to every shade. The needles must be large and blunt- 
pointed. Keep beside you, while working, something 
in which to stick the needles you are not using at the 
moment. A very simple and convenient thing for this 
purpose, is an empty gallicup, with a blank piece of 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 329 

canvas stretched flat, and tied tightly over the top. Stick 
the needles into this canvas ; it is better than a pin- 
cushion. 

Slippers (like all other worsted work) should be done 
in a frame, the canvas stretched tightly; and tacked 
firmly in, with strong thread. Keep the pattern beside 
you all the time you are working ; and follow every stitch 
precisely. Do the central part first ; next the heel part ; 
and then fill up with groundwork all the vacant space 
within the outline. The usual way is to work them in 
common cross-stitch ; but if done in tent-stitch or queen- 
stitch, the slippers will be more elastic, much softer, and 
will take a smaller quantity of crewel. When you have 
finished working them, have the slippers made up by a 
very good shoemaker. They will last a long time. 

Instead of canvas, you may work slippers on fine 
broad-cloth, such as is used for gentlemen's coats. Cloth 
slippers require no filling up with groundwork ; having 
only a cluster of flowers in the centre, and a small run- 
ning-pattern round the heel. You must baste upon the 
cloth a bit of canvas, a little larger than the space to be 
occupied by the flowers. Work .he flowers upon this ; 
taking every stitch quite through both the canvas and 
the cloth beneath it. When done, pull out the threads 
of the canvas from under the stitches, (they can be drawn 
out very easily,) and the flowers will remain in their 
proper form upon the cloth. This method of working 
slippers saves time, trouble, and crewel ; yet they will 
be found less durable than if worked entirely on canvas, 
and with the whole ground filled up by crewel-stitches; 
cloth wearing out much sooner than worked canvas. 

When preparing to work slippers, do not have them 

previously cut out, as it wii] cause the canvas or cloth to 

stretch all round, and will spoil their shape ; besides being 

very troublesome to keep straight and even while working. 

2S* 



330 the lady's receipt-book. 

Having obtained from your shoemaker a paper or shape, 
(allowed extremely large,) lay it down on the canvas, and 
mark out the form and size by a pen or pencil outline. 

Cloth slippers braided in a handsome pattern with 
coloured braid, look much better and are done far more 
expeditiously than when worked in crewel. 

Bands or rims for velvet caps look very well when 
braided. The braid may be gold or silver. 



TO WORK MERINO IN CROSS-STITCH.— If you 
determine to work merino in cross-stitch, in the common 
manner of worsted work, have ready a pattern accurately 
drawn and coloured, so as to represent the place and tint 
of every stitch ; and keep it before you to look at. 
Having marked out, with a dot, the place for every sprig, 
baste over each place a bit of very fine canvas, leaving 
the raw edge. On this canvas work the sprigs ; care- 
fully taking up with every stitch the merino beneath, as 
well as the canvas above it. Avoid drawing your hand too 
tight. When done, pull out, thread by thread, the canvas 
from under the needle-work ; so as to leave the sprig 
resting on the merino only. This you will find a much 
more easy process than it appears on description. Have 
a number of needles, one for every different shade, and 
thread them all in advance. A tumbler or gallicup with 
a piece of canvas stretched tightly, and tied down over 
the top, is a very convenient thing to have beside you to 
stick your threaded needles in, when working worsted. 



TO BRAID MERINO DRESSES OR CLOAKS 
FOR CHILDREN.— Patterns for braiding should be as 
continuous as possfbie, so as to avoid frequent cutting oft 
and fastening on of the braid. These patterns should 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 331 

have nothing in them that stops short ; all the parts fol- 
lowing and entwining, so as to connect with each other. 

For braiding, the dress must he cut out first, and the 
breadths sewed together, so that the border may run 
smoothly and regularly along, without any breaks or ill- 
joined places. Wind your braid upon cards or corks, 
and reserve a sufficiency for raveling to sew on the rest 
with ; which is far better than to sew it on with silk 
thread, as, of course, the raveling matches the colour so 
exactly as to render the stitches imperceptible. The 
braid reserved for raveling should be cut into the usual 
length of needle-fulls ; then ravelled, and put into long 
thread-papers. 

Having drawn the pattern on a strip of stiff white 
paper, prick it all along, according to its form or outline, 
with large, close pin-holes. Then lay or baste it on the 
merino. Take some pounce, (gum-sandarac finely pow- 
dered and sifted,) and w T ith your finger rub it along the 
pricked outline of the paper-pattern. On removing the 
paper, you will find that the pounce-powder, going 
through the pin-holes, will have traced the pattern in 
small dots on the merino. This will be a guide in sew- 
ing on the braid, which should be run on, with short, 
close stitches. A double row of braid, the inner or right- 
hand row a much darker shade than the first, has a raised 
or relieved look, which is very pretty ; particularly w T hen 
the second row is of the same colour as the merino or 
ground, but of an infinitely darker shade. 

If you cannot match the merino with a braid exactly 
similar, select, always, one of a darker rather than a 
lighter shade. A light-coloured merino looks very well 
with a braiding of the same colour, but of a shade con- 
siderably darker. Gray, fawn-colour, or scarlet merino 
appears to advantage braided with black ; so, also, does 
light blue or pale lilac. Salmon-colour looks well with 



332 the lady's receipt-book. 

purple braiding ; and dark brown braided with light blue 
or pink. The lining of a child's cloak should be of the 
same colour as the braiding. 

Braiding can be done with great ease and expedition. 
A child's dress or cloak may be braided in two days, or 
less. 

Cloth slippers look very well braided in shaded pat- 
terns, with the rows of braid so close as to touch each 
other. 

Cloth covers for tabourets or stools can be braided so as 
to look infinitely handsomer and richer than those worked 
in worsted on canvas. They should have a border all 
round, with corner-pieces, and a central pattern in the 
middle ; all which can be done beautifully in close braidr 
ing. The pattern must be defined on the cloth by first 
drawing it with a pen and ink on white paper ; then 
pricking the outline with a large pin, and laying pounce- 
powder along the pricked outline, so that the powder 
may fall through the holes, and thus trace it on the cloth, 
in the manner before mentioned. 

DIRECTIONS FOR EMBROIDERING MERINO. 

—Merino dresses are usually worked in small sprigs, re- 
presenting a little flower or bud, with two or three green 
leaves. Blue, lilac, or purple flowers have generally a 
more tasteful effect for this purpose than red or yellow 
ones. They will be sufficiently brightened by a shaded 
yellow spot in the centre. A beautiful sprig may be 
formed entirely of leaves, some of them comprising dif- 
ferent tints of green, and others of brown. Three green 
leaves, with two brown ones at the bottom of the sprig, 
'ook exceedingly well on a gray merino ; also, on a scar- 
let, crimson, or cherry-coloured ground. Mourning-gray 
should have black sprigs only. Gold-coloured flowers, 
if properly shaded, look well on purple, dark brown, or 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 333 

dark slate-coloured merino ; but blue cr lilac will look 
better still. Blue and brown harmonize well ; also very- 
light blue and very dark purple. Pink flowers look best 
on a dark olive ground. Blue and red should never come 
together in a dress. The effect of all sprigs, spots, or 
stars will be greatly improved by working, on the right 
hand of each, a shadow of a colour similar to the merino, 
but of a much darker shade. This dark shade along the 
right-hand side will give the sprig a relieved or raised 
appearance ; and, if well done, will make it look almost 
as if you could take it up with your fingers. Executed 
by a skilful embroidress, or by one who is a proficient in 
drawing, this mode of producing a shadow, that seems to 
come from behind the sprig, will be found extremely 
beautiful. We are surprised that is not more generally 
known and practised. 

Previous to working a dress, it is well to have the 
breadths of the skirts measured, and cut apart. The re- 
mainder, of course, is to be reserved for the body, sleeves, 
and pelerine ; but do not have these parts fitted and cut 
out before embroidering. Though by that means you 
may save the trouble of doing a few unnecessary sprigs, 
you will lose more than you will gain ; for the pieces, if 
cut out, will stretch out of shape, and ravel at the edges, so 
that it will be very difficult to put them well together when 
wanted. Also, if previously cut out into their respective 
shapes, the pieces cannot well be worked in a frame, 
which is always the best way of doing embroidery. 

You may work the dress with either soft-twisted silk, 
(not too fine,) or with Berlin wool or crewel. If worked 
with silk, it cannot possibly be washed to look well. 
Floss silk should never be used for this or any other em- 
broidery, as, though it fills up well, and looks beautifully 
at first, it almost immediately wears rough and fuzzy. 
Embroidery-stitch is far more elegant than cross-stitch, 



334 the lady's receipt-book. 

having none of its stiffness, hardness, and ungraceful- 
ness ; and being, besides, more easy, expeditious, and 
manageable ; and capable of a far greater diversity of 
forms. 

Prepare on a pasteboard drawing-card, an exact pattern 
of the sprig, drawn and coloured precisely as it is to be 
worked ; and you may put a dark back-ground behind 
one side of the sprig, of exactly the same tint as the me- 
rino. Mark the distances of the sprigs by measuring 
their places on the merino with a pair of compasses, 
(often called dividers,) or by means of a piece of card. 
Designate the place of each sprig by a dot with a red or 
white chalk pencil ; the dot being the centre of the sprig. 
Rub, on a saucer, some water-colour paint of any colour 
that will show plainly on the merino, (which should first 
be stretched in a frame.) If you cannot get a frame, or 
prefer working on your hand, baste, under the place oc- 
cupied by each sprig, a small circular bit of stiff writing- 
paper; and be careful, while working, not to catch up 
the paper with the stitches of your needle. When done, 
remove the paper, and the sprigs will look smooth and 
even. If you attempt to work it merely on your hand, 
with no paper beneath, it is impossible to prevent its 
puckering and drawing up. 

Fine embroidery must be worked with extremely close 
stitches in rows or ridges. Every other stitch should be 
short, and every other one long. In every row, the alternate 
long and short stitches should fit in, by extending a little 
beyond those of the neighbouring row, so as to blend well. 
If you have no knowledge of drawing, get your pattern- 
sprig done by some person that draws well, and that is 
familiar with the effect of lights and shades. 

If your dress is to have a belt of the same, you may 
work a long strip of merino for that purpose ; the pattern 
being so arranged that the flowers will form a close row 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 335 

or straight wreath. Allow this strip of merino full wide, 
so that there may be an ample sufficiency for turning in 
at the edges. Sleeve-bands, also, may be worked in this 
way. 

A two-yard-square of merino, embroidered in coloured 
flowers, and trimmed with a deep fringe, makes a beau- 
tiful shawl. On a dark brown or purple merino, flowers 
entirely of shaded blue, with light brown leaves and stalks 
interspersed among the green ones, will have a beautiful 
effect ; very superior to the common tasteless and gaudy 
calico-style of introducing flowers of all colours — red, blue, 
and yellow. An olive merino shawl may have pink 
flowers entirely; a slate, or dark gray, or a purple will 
look well with rich gold-coloured flowers. In all flower- 
borders, the introduction of brown leaves among the green 
will be a decided improvement. If the merino is light 
brown, or light gray, or pale olive, the flowers may be 
scarlet, cherry-colour, or crimson. For a black merino, 
the embroidery should be of shaded gray. 

Keep beside you, while working, a number of needles 
threaded with all the different shades of silk, and stuck 
in a flat pin-cushion, or something similar, so as to be 
always ready for use. 



EMBROIDERY ON BOTH SIDES.— For this pur< 
pose, the embroidery-frame must be placed in a perpen- 
dicular or upright position, and two persons employed 
together; both equally skilled in needle-worA. Get a 
carpenter to make an upright stand, somewhat in the 
form of a towel-rail, and about the usual height of a work- 
table ; having broad feet, that it may stand steadily, and 
a broad cross-bar just above them, and a shelf at the top, 
on which to lay the needle-cushions, silk balls, &c, with 
a raised ledge on each side of the shelf, to prevent their 



336 

rolling off. At each end of this shelf there must be slits 
down, into which put the upright ends of the embroidery- 
frame, secured with wooden pegs. 

We will suppose that the article to be embroidered 
the same on both sides, is a plain canton-crape shawl, or 
a square of merino intended for a shawl. Stretch the 
shawl tightly in the embroidery-frame, sewing it strongly 
to the linen; the pattern having been drawn on both sides 
with a camel's-hair pencil dipped in water-colour paint, 
of a tint a little darker than the shawl. The two ladies 
who are to work it, must sit one on each side ; and as 
one sticks in the needle, the other must d^aw it through, 
and stick it in for the next stitch ; to be drawn through by 
her companion. The fastenings on and off must be neatly 
concealed under the stitches. By thus working together, 
(each alternately sticking in and drawing out the same 
needle,) both sides will, of course, be embroidered exactly 
alike, so that not the slightest difference can be percep- 
tible. It is in this manner that canton-crape shawls are 
embroidered in China. The sewing-silk must be of the 
best quality, not too fine or slack-twisted. Floss-silk will 
not do at all. 



EMBROIDERING STANDARDS.— Military stand- 
ards have been successfully embroidered in the above 
manner. They should be made of very thick, strong India 
silk, satin not being the same on both sides. Instead of sew- 
ing-silk, standards had best be worked with chenille, such 
as comes on purpose for embroidering. Have a needle 
for every shade. An embroidered standard should always 
be copied from a painted model, executed by an artist ; 
the model to stand in such a position that each of the two 
embroiderers may see it all the time. An outline of the 
model must be drawn on the silk. The most durable 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 337 

colour for a standard is deep blue. Part of the em- 
broidery (stars, for instance) may be done in gold or sil- 
ver thread. 

FINE COLOURING FOR ARTIFICIAL FLOW- 
ERS. — For light blue and pink, buy, at a drug or paint 
store, what are called blue saucers and pink saucers. 
They contain the most beautiful tints of these colours. 
To use them, take a large clean camei's-hair pencil, and 
dipping it into some water, liquefy a portion of the paint 
that is on the saucer, till you get the exact tint you desire. 
When you have enough, pour off the liquid into a tea- 
cup, and add a small drop of lemon-juice to each tea- 
spoonful of the colour. The lemon -juice (if used pro- 
perly) will brighten and set the colour; and is indeed 
superior to any thing else for this purpose. But too 
much of this, or any other acid, will destroy the colour 
entirely. Therefore be very careful in employing it; 
though no colouring for artificial flowers will be bright 
and clear without the addition of some little acid. Put 
the book-muslin, jaconet, white silk, or whatever mate- 
rials the flowers are to be made of, into the cup of liquid 
dye ; and when the muslin has thoroughly imbibed the 
colour, take it out, stretch it evenly, and dry it in the 
shade. Then press it with an iron entirely cold. A 
mixture of colour from both the blue and pink saucers 
will make lilac. 

For a yellow colour. — Get six cents' worth of saffron ; 
put it into a bowl, and pour on cold water, in quantity ac- 
cording to the deepness or vividness of the tint that you 
wish. When it has infused sufficiently, pour off the 
liquid; and, in proportion to its quantity, add to it, care- 
fully, four, five, or six drops of lemon-juice. 

For green. — Buy, at a druggist's, one ounce of French 
berries Put a tea-spoonful of them into a common-sized 
29 



338 

tea-cup of boiling water. Cover it, and let it infuse half 
an hour or more. Then (having poured it off) add t€ 
the liquid (according to its quantity) about five or six 
drops of lemon-juice. This infusion of French berries 
makes a bright grass-green. To render it lighter, add 
some saffron yellow. To make it darker, put to it some 
blue from the blue saucer. 

For a brown dye. — Infuse, in cold water, some pieces 
of bark from the white or black walnut tree ; exposing it 
for several days to the sun and air, while it is soaking. 

Crimson. — You may make a beautiful crimson for 
shading artificial flowers with a camel's-hair pencil, by 
taking some of the fresh petals of the piony, when the 
flower is in full bloom. Lay them on a plate, and mash 
and press them with the back of a silver spoon, till you 
have extracted as much of their red juice as you want. 
To about twelve drops of the piony-juice, add one small 
drop of lemon-juice ; and use\he colour for shading the 
flowers, not for dyeing them. 

For a bright red shading. — Press out, in the above 
manner, the juice of full-blown bergamot flowers ; add- 
ing, also, (as above,) a drop of lemon-juice to brighten 
and set the colour. 

Blue shading. — A beautiful blue shading can be ob- 
tained by pressing and mashing on a plate, the flower- 
leaves of the common blue flag or iris ; adding, always, a 
very little lemon-juice. With this, and a camel's-hair 
pencil, you can put the shades and streaks into blue 
flowers, whose first tint has been dyed from the blue 
saucer. 

A mixture of crimson piony-juice, and blue flag-juice, 
will make a fine purple for shading. 

When a little touch of dark brown or black is required 
for flowers, dip into water the end of a cake of umber, 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 339 

bistre, or indian ink, from a colour-box ; rub the paint on 
a plate, and apply it with a camel's-hair pencil. 

All these dyes and shading colours for artificial flowers 
will (as we knoiv) be found beautiful on trial. An exact 
knowledge of the precise proportions of the colouring ma- 
terials cannot, however, be correctly obtained without a 
little practice. 



DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING A TABOURET.— 

A tabouret is a square stool, tall enough for a grown per- 
son to sit on, and about the usual height of a chair. Get 
a carpenter to make a strong square box of well-seasoned 
wood, planed smooth both inside and out. Instead of 
having the lid or cover-piece exactly at the top, it should 
be placed below it, four or five inches down the inside, 
so as to leave a vacant space between itself and the upper 
edges of the box ; to the sides of which it must be well 
secured, either with glue, or with small headless tack- 
nails. The wooden bottom of the box must be placed 
two or three inches up, so as to leave a space at each end 
of the lower corners for concealed castors, that will cause 
the tabouret to be moved easily on the carpet. 

The carpenter's part of the work being thus accom- 
plished, the remainder of the tabouret can be easily com- 
pleted by the ladies of the family, and at far less cost 
than if done by an upholsterer. We have seen beautiful 
tabourets made in this manner, and looking as if made 
entirely at a shop. 

Get about seven or eight yards of strong, broad, very 
stout webbing, such as is used by saddlers or trunk- 
makers. You may either procure it of them, or at one 
of the large fringe stores. Nail the webbing to the upper 
edges of the box, across the vacant top, so as to interlace 
in small open squares. This is to give elasticity to the 
seat when finished. Make a square cushion of thick, 



340 the lady's receipt-book. 

strong brown linen ; allowing it, each way, three or fow* 
inches larger than the top of the box ; as the linen wiK 
take up that much, at least, in sewing and stuffing. Sew 
the linen strongly round three sides, and leave the fourth 
open, for putting in the stuffing. Then stuff it, hard and 
evenly, with curled horse-hair, which you may obtain 
at a cabinet-maker's or an upholsterer's. Afterwards, 
cover this cushion with damask, cloth, velvet, or some 
other handsome and durable article, and bind the edges 
all round. Next cover the four sides of the exterior of 
the box with the same material as the outside covering 
of the cushion ; stretching it on very tightly and smoothly, 
and securing it to the wood with small tack-nails. While 
one person is driving in the nails, another must hold the 
box fast, and stretch and smooth the covering." When 
this has been neatly accomplished, nail on the cushion to 
the top edge of the box, above the webbing ; hammering 
the tacks into the binding. Finish by tacking a hand- 
some fringe all round the cushion, so as to conceal the 
binding. If you cannot get a fringe exactly the colour 
of the outside cover, choose one that is a good contrast, — 
either much darker or much lighter. A light blue ta- 
bouret may have purple, brown, black, or deep orange- 
coloured fringe. One of crimson or scarlet may have a 
fringe of black, dark green, or gold-colour. For a green 
tabouret, the fringe may be black, purple, or lilac. A 
brown or purple tabouret may have a light blue or gold- 
coloured fringe. A gray one may be fringed with dark 
brown, dark green, or purple. Light blue may be fringed 
with a very dark blue ; light green with a very dark 
green; pink with crimson; light brown with a very 
dark brown ; and bright scarlet with very deep crimson. 
You may suspend, all round, deep festoons of thick, rich 
cord, corresponding with the fringe ; one festoon to hang 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 341 

at each of the four sides. The corners may be finished 
with long tassels. 

In a similar manner, you can make an excellent and 
handsome footstool, employing a carpenter to construct the 
frame or box. 

The footstool may be covered with rich carpeting, 
trimmed with worsted fringe. 

THE SUMMER HEARTH.— Summer blowers, of 
handsomely ornamented iron, are now much used to con- 
ceal the empty coal -grates, during the season of warm 
weather. Like chimney-boards, they render the room 
very close, by entirely excluding the fresh air that may 
enter from the chimney. Certainly, in a bed-chamber, it 
is best that the fire-place should always be left entirely 
open. A frame made to fit in exactly, and having open 
slats, like a Venetian door, is a good screen for a summer- 
hearth. These screens are best when divided down the 
middle, like a pair of Venetian shutters ; one or both of 
which may be left open at night, if in a sleeping room. 
To sleep in a room from whence all external air is en- 
tirely excluded, cannot be otherwise than prejudicial to 
health ; and rarely fails, sooner or later, to undermine the 
constitution. Many people accustom themselves to sleep 
with the window-sash farthest from the bed a little open 
all the year round, (except when the rain or snow comes 
in that direction ;) and in consequence of having acquired 
this salutary habit, these persons rarely take cold from 
any exposure to a draught of air. On this subject, the 
author can adduce the evidence of her personal expe- 
rience. 

Another good chimney-screen is a maple or walnut- 
wood frame, filled up with open wire-work, painted green 
like a wire fender, and fitting exactly into the fire-place. 
29* 



342 

These frames should have two brass knobs near the top, 
for lifting them in arid out. Chimney-boards, of course, 
can only be put into open fire-places, where wood is 
burnt in cold weather. On the hearth of a vacant 
Franklin stove it is usual to keep a large jar of flowers, 
which should be renewed every day or two. 

Where there is no summer-blower, it is usual to deco- 
rate the empty grate with cut paper. This may be done 
in a very pretty manner by obtaining a sufficient quantity 
of coloured, glossy writing-paper, of such tints as will 
harmonize best with each other. For instance, green 
and lilac ; green and light pink ; light blue and dark 
brown; blue and buff, or cream-colour; purple and yel- 
low ; two shades of green — one very dark, the other 
very light ; or two shades of blue — one much lighter than 
the other. Cut this paper, lengthways, into long, straight 
strips ; in breadth, about three or four inches. Fold these 
slips lengthways, and evenly ; and, while doubled, cut 
their edges with sharp scissors into a fringe. Then 
wreathe these double fringes thickly and closely round 
the bars of the grate, securing them with pins. On each 
bar there should be two wreaths, each of a different co- 
lour or shade. Twist or wrap these two wreaths to- 
gether, so as to conceal the iron entirely ; beginning the 
first twist or fringe from the left hand, and crossing or 
entwining it with one of another shade or colour com- 
mencing from the right. If well arranged, this mode of 
decorating an empty grate has an excellent effect. The 
bars should previously be well cleaned, and the back and 
whole interior of the grate completely blacked. Tissue- 
paper is too soft and thin for wreathing the bars of grates. 
Coloured writing-paper will be found much better ; or, 
indeed, any nice paper that is thick and smooth, and of 
the same colour on both sides. 






LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 343 



TISSUE-PAPER HEARTH CURTAINS.— There 

is an infinite variety of patterns for tissue-paper drapery 
to conceal empty coal-grates. The most simple is to take 
a sufficient number of long sheets of this paper ; fold 
each sheet, lengthways, in four or six ; and with scissors 
cut through the edges of the folds, so as to form scollops 
or points when opened out ; leaving at the bottom of each 
sheet a space to be cut into a deep fringe. Having 
opened out the sheets, have ready part of the handle or 
stick of an old broom, cut to fit the length of the aperture 
or slit left open at the back of the grate for the draught. 
This stick must be covered with baize or cloth sewed on 
tightly. Sew to this covering the long streamers of cut 
tissue-paper, gathering them at the top so that they may 
hang down full and double. Then lay the stick nicely 
in the aperture at the top of the grate-back ; fasten it 
securely, and let the drapery fall over the outside of the 
bars, so as to conceal them. 

The following is a very handsome way of arranging 
hearth curtains. Have ready a sufficient number of long 
sheets of tissue-paper. Some of them may be white, 
others of a delicate pink. They are to be cut out in a 
handsome open-work pattern. You may take your pat- 
tern from muslin-work, flowered ribbon, furniture chintz, 
wall-paper, or table-covers. The more open it is the 
better. To render it accurate, first draw the outline on 
stiff paper, and then cut out that paper accordingly. Lay 
this cut out model upon a sheet of the pink tissue-paper 
spread out on a smooth common table, and kept down by 
weights at each corner. With a pencil, go round the 
model, and trace its outline upon the tissue-paper. Then 
with a sharp penknife or scissors, cut it out with great 
care and nicety. If you use a penknife, keep the tissue- 
.paper stretched out smoothly upon the table, all the time 
you are doing it. 



344 

Next, take two more sheets of the pink paper, and cut 
the upper part of each sheet into the form of curtain-falls; 
festooned at the top, and descending long and low at the 
side. Ornament them with a handsome cut pattern, and 
scollop the edges. 

The white tissue-paper is not to be cut or decorated 
with an open pattern or flowering. It is to form a lining 
for the pink, through the open work* of which the white 
is to appear. The form or arrangement of this white paper 
is to fit or correspond with that of the pink, only that the 
white must be allowed two or three inches deeper at the 
edge, that it may project out beyond the pink. These 
projecting white edges are to be cut into a fringe. 
Additional fringe must be made of white tissue-paper, 
and twisted together so as to represent cords ; the cords 
to be finished with tassels made of rolls of white paper 
fringe, fastened to the cords very neatly by sewing them 
on with a needle and thread. Observe that none of the 
white paper is to be cut out in flower patterns, or any 
sort of open work. It is only to furnish lining, fringe, 
cords, and tassels for the pink. Observe, also, that the 
fringed edge of this white lining is to appear beyond the 
scolloped edge of the pink outside. 

When all is ready, arrange it handsomely in the fire- 
place, so as entirely to conceal the whole of the grate. 
It must be fixed at the top by sewing it to a covered piece 
of broom-handle, made to fit the draught aperture. The 
two long straight pieces of pink paper, with their white 
lining underneath, are to go on first. Then put up the 
festoons with their falls, having their white lining be- 
neath, with its fringe appearing beyond the pink scollops. 
Then put on, at proper distances, the white cords and 
tassels. The effect, when complete, will represent at the 
back, closed pink curtains, with their white lining ap- 
pearing through the cut-out flower pattern ; over them, 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 345 

two festoons and falls of pink lined with white, opening 
in front with their white fringe, and white cords and 
tassels. In these festoons and falls, the cut-out flowers of 
the pink paper outside, show the white paper lining 
beneath. If well executed, these hearth curtains will (as 
we have seen) have a most beautiful effect. The pattern 
or flowering of the cut work is displayed to great advan- 
tage by the white lining. In one parlour you may have 
hearth curtains of pink and white ; in the other of green 
and white, or blue and white. 

Hearth curtains of tissue-paper may be fixed to the 
front ledge or slab that goes along the top of the grate, 
provided this ledge is wide enough. Leave, uncut, at the 
top of the sheets of paper, a plain piece to fit the ledge. 
To keep down this paper upon the ledge, prepare three 
heavy weights (for instance smooth stones) covered with 
thick silk or satin, and decorated with large bows of 
ribbon of the same colour. In this way, by keeping it 
down with weights on the top, we have seen a very 
handsome drapery of cut out tissue-paper entirely con- 
cealing a Franklin stove. 

MARKING THE KEYS OF A PIANO.— Begin- 
ners on the piano (children especially) sometimes find 
much difficulty in learning the affinity between the keys 
and the notes. After acquiring the gamut theoretically, 
it is frequently a long time before they can apply it prac- 
tically to the keys of the instrument, so as at once to find 
the right key on looking at the corresponding note. The 
process may be much accelerated (and indeed made per- 
fectly easy) by some grown person marking on the keys 
the letters that designate the notes. By the following 
simple method this can be done without any injury or 
defacement of the ivory. Take a sheet of thick smooth 
writing-paper, and cut out of it as many little square 



346 

pieces as there are white keys on the piano. Paste 
these papers on the ivory ; and when perfectly dry, 
mark on each with common blue ink the letter belonging 
to that key. It wilt be best to do this in Roman capitals. 
If the natural keys are thus distinctly designated, the 
learner will find little difficulty from the flats and sharps, 
or black keys, being left unmarked. 

The learner will thus in a very short time become fami- 
liar with the correspondence of the keys of the piano and 
the notes in the music book ; and will soon be at no loss 
in finding them. It is well, however, not to remove the 
marks in less than a month or two. Then loosen the 
papers by wetting them with a little water ; take them 
off, and wipe the keys first with a wet and then with a 
dry cloth. Blue ink of the common sort will leave no 
trace upon the ivory ; but good black ink might probably 
leave a slight stain, unless the paper was very thick. 
Therefore do not use it. 

The learner having thus become thoroughly acquainted 
with the keys while they were lettered, will not find the 
least difficulty in remembering them after the marks are 
taken off. 



TO USE A PAPER-KNIFE.— In using a paper-knife 
to cut open the leaves of a new book, keep your left hand 
firmly pressed down upon the open page, while you hold 
the knife in your right. This will prevent the edges of 
the leaves from cutting rough and jagged. Cut open the 
tops of the leaves before you run the knife up the side- 
edges, and cut with a short, quick, hard stroke. The 
most serviceable paper-knives are of ivory, and without 
a handle ; the handles being very apt to break. 

The best way of writing your name in a book is on the 
inside of the cover ; but if the paper that lines it seems 
likely to cause the ink to run or spread, cut out a hand- 



LAUNDRY- WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 347 

some slip of fine smooth paper, write your name upon 
that, and paste it on nicely. If yon put your name on 
one of the fly-leaves, it may be torn out ; and if written 
on the corner of the title-page, that corner may be snip- 
ped off, should the book fall into the hands of a dishonest 
person. 

HOUSEHOLD TOOLS.— Much inconvenience and 
considerable expense would be saved, if it was the uni- 
versal custom to keep in every house a few tools, for the 
purpose of performing at home what are called small jobs ; 
instead of being always obliged to send for a mechanic, 
and pay him for executing little things that might be very 
well done by a man or boy belonging to the family ; pro- 
vided that the proper instruments were at hand. The 
cost of these articles is very trifling, and the advantages 
of having them always in the house (particularly in the 
country) are beyond all price. In a small private family 
it may not be necessary to keep more than a few of these 
things ; but that few are almost indispensable to comfort. 
For instance, there should be an axe, a saw, a claw-ham- 
mer, a mallet, a screw-driver, a bed-screw, a gimlet, one 
or two jack-knives, a pair of large scissors or shears, and 
a trowel. If there were two gimlets, and two screw- 
drivers, (large and small,) it would be better still. Like- 
wise, an assortment of hooks, and of nails of different 
sizes, from large spikes down to small tacks ; not forget- 
ting a supply of brass-headed nails, some large and some 
small. Screws, also, will be found very convenient. The 
nails and screws should be kept in a wooden box, with 
divisions or partitions to separate the various sorts ; for it 
is very troublesome to select them when all mixed to- 
gether. 

No house should be without glue, chalk, putty, paint, 
cord, twine, and wrapping-paper of different sorts. And 



348 the lady's receipt-book. 

care should be taken that the supply is not suffered to run 
out, lest the deficiency might cause delay and inconve- 
nience at a time when most wanted. 

It is well to have, in the lower part of the house, a deep 
closet appropriated entirely to tools and things of equal 
utility, for performing at once such little repairs as con- 
venience may require, without the delay or expense of 
sending for an artisan. This closet may have one large, 
broad shelf; and that not more than three feet above the 
floor. Beneath the shelf may be a deep drawer, divided 
in two. This drawer may contain cakes of glue ; pieces 
of chalk ; hanks of manilla-grass cord ; and balls of twine, 
of different size and thickness. At the sides of the closet 
may be small shelves for glue-pots, paste-pots, and 
brushes ; pots for black, white, green, and red paint ; 
cans of painting-oil, &c. On the wall above the large 
shelf, let the tools be suspended, or laid across nails or 
hooks of proper size to support them. This is much 
better than to keep them all in a box, where they may 
be injured by rubbing against each other, and the hand 
may be hurt by feeling among them to find the one that 
is wanted. When hung up against the closet-wall, each 
tool may be seen at a glance. We have been shown an 
excellent and simple contrivance for designating the exact 
places of these things. On the wall, direct!)?- under the 
nails that support the tools, is drawn, with a small brush 
dipped in black paint or ink, an outline representation of 
the tool or instrument appropriated to that particular place. 
For instance, under each saw is sketched the outline of 
the saw; under each gimlet is a sketch of the gimlet; 
under the screw-drivers are slight drawings of the screw- 
drivers. So that when any tool is brought back after 
being taken away for use, the exact spot to which it be- 
longs may be seen in a moment by its representation on 
the wall ; and all confusion in putting them up, or finding 



LAUNDRY-WORK, NEEDLE-WORK, ETC. 349 

them again, is thus prevented. We highly recommend 
this plan. 

Wrapping-paper may be piled on the floor beneath the 
large shelf. It can be bought very low, by the ream, at 
the wholesale paper stores ; and every house should be 
supplied with it in several varieties. For instance, coarse 
brown paper for common things. That denominated 
ironmongers' paper, being strong, thick, and in large 
sheets, is useful for enclosing heavy articles. Nankeen- 
paper is best for putting up nice parcels, such as books, 
or things of fine quality that are to be sent to a distance. 
What is called shoe-paper (each ream generally contain- 
ing a variety of colours, red, blue, buff, &c.) is also very 
useful for wrapping small articles, as, though soft, it is not 
brittle. This paper is very cheap, the usual price seldom 
exceeding 56 cents per ream, (twenty quires.) 

Old waste newspapers are unfit for wrapping any ar- 
ticles that can be soiled by the printing-ink rubbing ofT 
upon them. But they may be used for packing china, 
glass, brass, tin, &c. Also for lighting fires, singeing 
poultry, and cleaning mirrors or windows. Waste writ- 
ten-paper is of little use, except for allumettes or lamp- 
lighters. It is well to keep a large jar or bag to receive 
scraps of waste paper, as it sells for a cent a pound, and 
these cents may be given to poor children. 

We have seen persons, when preparing for a journey, 
or putting up things to send away, "at their wits' end" 
for want of a sheet of good wrapping-paper ; a string of 
twine; a few nails; or a little paint to mark a box. 
We have seen a door standing ajar during a whole 
week, (and in cold weather too,) for want of a screw- 
driver to fix a disordered lock, the locksmith not coming 
when he was sent for. 

It seems scarcely credible that any respectable house 
should be without a hammer ; yet we have known gen- 
30 



350 the lady's receipt-book. 

teel families, whose sole dependence for that indispensa- 
ble article was on borrowing it of their neighbours. And 
when the hammer was obtained, there were, perhaps, no 
nails in the house ; at least none of the requisite size. 

The attention of boys should be early directed to the 
use of common tools. And if there were tools at hand, 
there are few American boys that would not take plea- 
sure in learning to use them. By seeing carpenters, 
locksmiths, bell-hangers, &c, at work, they may soon 
learn to be passably expert in those arts ; and a smart 
and observant boy will soon acquire considerable amateur 
proficiency in them. Many useful jobs can be done by 
servant-men, if there are proper tools in the house. 



LETTERS. — For letter-writing, always use good 
paper ; it should be fine, smooth, white, and sufficiently 
thick not to let the writing show through on the other 
side. Very good letter-paper can seldom be purchased at 
less than twenty-five cents per quire. That which is 
lower in price is inferior in quality. If you cannot trust 
yourself to write straightly without some guide, have 
printed ruled lines to slip beneath the page ; for a letter 
does not look well if written on paper that is already 
ruled with pale blue ink. If you write a small hand, 
your lines should be closer together than if your writing 
is large. It is well to have several sorts of ruled lines ; 
they are to be bought at any stationer's for a few cents 
a page. 

If you are writing to a relative, or to an intimate friend, 
and have much to say, and expect to fill the sheet, begin 
near the top of the first page. But if your letter is to be 
a short one, commence lower down, several inches from 
the top. If a very short letter, of only a few lines, begin 
but a little above the middle of the page. 



LETTERS. 351 

Write the date near the right-hand side, and place it 
about a line higher than the two or three words of greet- 
ing or accosting with which letters usually commence. 
Begin the first sentence a little below these words, and 
farther towards the right than the lines that are to follow 
it. It is well, in dating every letter, to give always your 
exact residence, — not only the town, but the street also, and 
the number of your house. If your correspondent has 
had but one notification of your present place of abode, the 
number, and even the street may have been forgotten ; 
the letter containing it may not be at hand as a reference ; 
and the reply may, in consequence, be misdirected ; or 
directed in so vague a manner that it may never reach 
you. We have known much trouble, inconvenience, and 
indeed loss, ensue from not specifying, in the date of each 
letter, the exact dwelling-place of the writer. But if it is 
always designated at the top of every one, a reference to 
any of your letters will furnish the proper address. It is 
customary to date letters at the top, and notes at the bot- 
tom. If your letter is so long as to fill more than one 
sheet, number the pages. 

As important words are frequently lost by being torn 
off with the seal in opening a letter, leave always, in the 
third or last page, two blank spaces where the seal is to 
come. These spaces should be left rather too large than 
too small. You can write in short lines between them. 
If you cannot otherwise ascertain where the sealing is 
likely to be, fold your sheet into the form of a letter be- 
fore you begin to write it ; and then, with the point of a 
pin, (or something similar,) trace, as faintly as possible, 
two circles, one on the turn-over, the other on the cor-, 
responding part of the paper that comes beneath it. 
These faint circles, when you are writing the last page, 
will show you where the seal is to go, and what space 
you are to leave for it. In opening a letter, it is best to 



352 

cut round the seal ; rather than to break it, and tear the 
letter open. 

In folding a letter let the breadth (from right to left) 
far exceed the height. A letter the least verging 
towards squareness looks very awkward. It is well to 
use a folding-stick (or ivory paper-knife) to press along 
the edges of the folds, and make them smooth and even. 
Take care in folding a letter to make all the creases 
exactly straight and even. If one is looser than another, 
or if there is the slightest widening out or narrowing in 
towards the edge of the turn-over, the letter will have a 
crooked, unsightly appearance. You may direct it before 
sealing ; slipping your ruled paper under the back of the 
letter, that you may run no risk of writing the direction 
crooked. Begin the address rather nearer to the bottom 
than the top of the folded letter. Write the name of the 
person to whom you send it about the middle, and very 
clearly and distinctly. Then give the number and street 
on the next line a little nearer to the right. Then the 
town in large letters, and extending almost close to the 
extreme right. Just under the town, add the abbreviation 
of the name of the state — as, Pa. for Pennsylvania, N. Y. 
for New York. But if the letter is to go to New York 
city, put the words New York in full, written large. 
Much confusion is caused by this state and its metropolis 
having both the same name. It has been well suggested 
that the name of the state might be changed to Ontario — 
a beautiful change. 

If the letter is to go to a provincial town, put the name 
of the county in which that town is situated, immediately 
over the designation of the state. We believe that 
throughout the union there are more than fifty towns 
called Washington. If your letter is for the city of 
Washington, direct for Washington, D. C. — these initials 
implying the District of Columbia. 



LETTERS. 353 

Another reason for the propriety of designating the 
state is, that many of our towns are called after places in 
Europe : and it has chanced (though not very often) that 
letters not explicitly and fully directed, have found their 
way into the mail-bags of packet vessels, and been carried 
across the Atlantic. We know an instance of a gentle- 
man who directed an important letter simply to Boston, 
without any indication of the state of Massachusets ; and 
the letter went from Philadelphia to the small town of 
Boston in Lincolnshire, England. In writing from 
Europe, it is well always to finish, the direction with the 
words United States of North America. 

If you send the letter by a private opportunity, it will 
be sufficient to introduce close to the lower edge of the 
left-hand corner on the back, simply the name of the 
gentleman who takes it, written small. It is now con- 
sidered old fashioned to insert on the back of such a 
letter, "Politeness of Mr. Smith," "Favoured by Mr. 
Jones," "Honoured by Mr. Brown." If to cross the 
sea, write the name of the vessel on the left hand corner 
of the outside. 

If you make a mistake in a word, it will be better to 
draw your pen through the error, so as to render it 
entirely illegible, and then interline the correction, rather 
than attempt scratching out the mistake with a penknife, 
and afterwards trying to write another word in the iden- 
tical place ; a thing that is rarely, if ever, done well. 

At the end of the letter, nearly on a line with your 
signature, (which should be close to the right side,) it is 
usual to put, near the extremity of the left side of the 
page, the name of the person to whom the letter is 
addressed. Write your signature rather larger than your 
usual hand ; and put a dot or period after your name. 

In writing a ceremonious and very respectful note, or 
in addressing a person with whom you are not very 

30* 



354 the lady's receipt-book. 

intimate, enclose it in an envelope, and put the direction 
on the cover only. It is now customary always to 
enclose in envelopes invitations to parties ; visiting cards 
sent to strangers ; cards left previous to a marriage ; and 
farewell cards on leaving the place. On the latter it is 
usual to put the initials t. t. L (to take leave,) or p. p. c. 
(pour prendre conge, which has the same signification.) 
We have also seen p. d. a. (pour dire adieu, to bid 
adieu.) For a note, always use a very small seal. 
There are varieties of beautiful little wafers for notes ; 
also of beautiful note-paper. It is not necessary in 
addressing an intimate friend to follow, particularly, any 
of these conventional observances. 

For sealing letters no light is so convenient as a wax 
taper. A lamp or candle may smoke and blacken the 
wax. To seal well, your wax should be of the finest 
quality. Good red wax is generally the best, and its 
colour should be of a brilliant scarlet. Inferior red wax 
consumes very fast ; and always, when melted, looks 
purplish or brownish. When going to melt sealing-wax, 
rest your elbow on the table to keep your hand steady. 
Take the stick of wax between your thumb and finger, 
and hold it a little above the light, so that it barely touches 
the point of the flame. Then insert a little of the, melted 
wax under the turn-over part of the letter, just where the 
seal is to come. This will make it more secure than if 
the sole dependence was on the outside seal. Or instead 
of this little touch of wax, you may slip under the turn- 
over a small wafer, either white or of the same colour as 
the wax. Take the stick of wax, hold it over the flame 
just so as to touch the tip ; next turn it round till the 
end of the stick is equally softened on every side. Then 
apply it to your letter, beginning on the outer edge of 
the place you intend for the seal ; and moving the wax 
round in a circle, which must gradually diminish till it 



LETTERS. 355 

terminates in the centre. Put the seal exactly into the 
middle of the soft wax, and press it down hard, but do 
not screw it round. Then withdraw it suddenly. Do 
not use motto seals unless writing to a member of your 
own family, or to an intimate friend. For common use, 
(and particularly for letters of business, or in addressing 
strangers,) a plain seal with the initials of your name 
will be best. 

We subjoin the usual abbreviations of the states, &c. :-— 

Maine, Me. New Hampshire, N. H. Vermont, Vt. 
Massachusetts, Mass. Rhode Island, R. I. Connecti- 
cut, Ct. New York, N. Y. New Jersey, iV. /. 
Pennsylvania, Pa. Delaware, Del. Maryland, Md. 
Virginia, Va. North Carolina, N. C. South Carolina, 
S. C. Georgia, Geo. or Ga. Alabama, Ala. Missis- 
sippi, Mi. Louisiana, La. Tennessee, Ten. Ken- 
tucky, Ky. Ohio, 0. Indiana, Ind. Illinois, ///. 
Missouri, Mo. District of Columbia, D. C. Michigan, 
Mich. Arkansas, Ark. Florida, Fl. Wisconsin, Wis. 
Iowa, Io. Texas, Tex. Oregon, Or. 

To these may be added the abbreviations of the British 
possessions in North America. Upper Canada, U. C. 
Lower Canada, L. C. Nova Scotia, iV. S, New 
Brunswick, N~. B. New Providence, N. P. 

The name of the town to which the letter is to go, 
should always be superscribed in full. If a country town 
or village, it will be necessary to designate the county in 
which it is situated, as there are so many provincial 
towns of the same name. Finish with the designation 
of the state under the whole, close to the right-hand 
corner. 

In directing to a clergyman, put Rev. (Reverend) be- 
fore his name. To an officer, immediately after his name, 
and on the same line with it, put U. S. A. for United 
States Army ; U. S. N. for United States Navy. To a 



356 the lady's receipt-book. 

member of Congress, precede his name with Hon* 
(Honourable.) 

In putting up packets to send away, either tie them 
round and across with red tape (sealing them also) or 
seal them without tying. Twine or cord may cut 
through the paper, and is better omitted. N^er put up 
any thing in newspaper. Beside the danger of soiling 
the articles inside, it looks mean and disrespectful. 
Keep yourself provided with different sorts of wrapping- 
paper. A large parcel should have more than one seal, 
and the seal may be rather larger than for a letter. 



CROSSING THE SEA.— The most usual voyage 
made by American ladies is across the Atlantic ; and the 
time chosen for that voyage is generally in tjie spring or 
autumn. A winter passage is seldom attempted by 
ladies ; and few that have tried it once are willing to 
undertake it a second time. To those who are preparing 
to traverse the ocean that separates us from Europe, we 
hope the following hints may not be unacceptable. 

We earnestly recommend that every lady who can 
afford to pay the additional price, should engage, at an 
early period, a state-room exclusively to herself; unless, 
indeed, she can share it with a near relation. She will 
find the money well spent in securing the privacy and 
comfort of an apartment into which no one has a right to 
intrude ; besides the additional space she will thus obtain 
for such articles as she would like to have with her in her 
room. No one who has not been at sea can imagine tho 
perpetual and mutual annoyance of being confined to the 
small limits of a state-room with a stranger ; each incom- 
moding the other all the time, and each feeling herself 
under the continual surveillance of her companion ; both 
expected to make incessant sacrifices to the convenience 



CROSSING THE SEA. 357 

of each other, and perhaps only one of them having a dis- 
position to submit to these sacrifices ; in which case she 
that is the most amiable is always the sufferer. We be- 
lieve it to be the rule in packet-ships that the first appli- 
cant for a passage is allowed the privilege of being the last 
to have a stranger put into her apartment. And if the 
passengers are not numerous, the fortunate first applicant 
may in this manner have a whole state-room without the 
extra charge. But by offering this additional price on 
taking her passage, she can always secure the exclusive 
possession of an entire state-room. 

If you have an apartment exclusively to yourself, the 
place of the second bed can be filled with boxes, books, 
&c, for which you would not otherwise have room. But 
as no ship state-room is large enough to contain much 
baggage, you should make your arrangements to wear 
during the voyage such articles of outside dress as will 
least require washing. Therefore, let all light-coloured 
or white dresses be packed away in the trunks that are 
to remain below, and not to be opened till the close of the 
voyage. 

As ladies can have no washing done at sea, it will be 
well to begin with such dresses as can be worn all the 
passage. French silks are not good sea dresses, (even 
when black,) for the salt-air shrivels, spots, and turns 
them rusty. Dark-coloured india silks, or dark mousse- 
lines de laine, or merinoes, are much better. Dark 
chintzes, with no white in the figure, are convenient for 
common wear, at sea as well as on shore. 

Muslin or bobbinet collars, to be worn in the ever-damp 
sea-air, should have no other trimming than an edging 
sewed on plain; as quilled or pleated frills lose their 
stiffening immediately. Silk neck-kerchiefs, or little 
shawls for the neck, will be found very convenient as 
substitutes for collars ; and, if of white silk, they are ex- 



358 the lady's receipt-book. 

tremeiy becoming. Or you may wear a broad, thick 
white ribbon, shaped with three diminishing - pleats, to 
fit in closely the back of the neck, and crossed in front. 
Quilled or fluted cap-borders soon become limp and form- 
less with the damp ; so also do gauze or glace ribbons. 
Sea-caps should have borders either simply gathered or 
laid on plain ; and their ribbons should be mantua, 
lutestring, or soft satin. A cap lined all through with 
silk of a pretty colour, will be very convenient at sea, 
as it not only assists in keeping the damp air from the 
head, but conceals the hair effectually ; and there are 
rough days when the motion of the ship renders it im- 
possible to arrange the hair nicely. A silk or madras 
handkerchief, pinned up into a sort of small turban, is 
sometimes worn at sea, instead of caps. They are very 
convenient, but only becoming to pretty ladies. 

It is colder at sea than on shore ; and even in summer, 
the atmosphere of the Atlantic is liable to be chilled for 
several days by the vicinity of floating icebergs, — even 
when these icebergs are not seen. Therefore, be careful 
at any season, to have in your state-room a sufficiency of 
warm clothing. A spring-passage is generally colder 
than an autumn one ; and even in May it is sometimes 
found necessary, when on the open ocean, to dress as if it 
were winter. Flannel, of course, is indispensable ; so, 
also, is a large thick woollen shawl, and a second shawl of 
lighter texture for mild weather. A very convenient 
outside sea-dress is the garment or coat that is sometimes 
called a mandarine. It should be made of very dark In- 
dia silk, which is soft, strong, and not liable to stain or 
spot like the silks of Europe. This dress should be very 
long and wide ; wadded and lined all through ; and made 
with large, loose sleeves, large sleeve-holes, and a wrap- 
per-body, confined at the waist by a broad ribbon run 
into a casing, and tied in front. A mandarine can be 



CROSSING THE SEA. 359 

put on over another dress without rumpling it ; and is far 
better than a cloak, as it is warmer and more compact, 
sits closer, and is not so liable to be blown about by the 
wind. At sea, there are always days when a mandarine 
will be found very comfortable to wear, even in the 
cabin. 

No dress intended to be worn on a voyage should fas- 
ten behind, as it is not always that a lady can procure 
the assistance of another person to do this for her. 
Gowns, (or coat-dresses, as they are frequently called,) 
such as fasten in front, are the best habits for sea ; and 
there is now a well-known way of making wrappers that 
is both handsome and convenient, and universally becom- 
ing. Fortunately, corsets are now exploded ; and as 
they are no longer worn on shore, of course no one would 
be so absurd as to endure them at sea. Jackets of flannel, 
lined silk, thick cotton, or jean, made without whalebones, 
and tc fasten in front, are best suited to a voyage. A 
flannel gown and a dark double-wrapper are indispensa- 
ble in case of sickness. Your upper petticoat should be 
of dark linen, worsted, or silk. If you have no mandarine,' 
take with you, by all means, a wadded silk petticoat, and 
a pair of slightly-wadded silk inside-sleeves, to be tied in 
beneath your gown-sleeves in chilly weather. For this 
purpose, have four tapes sewed to the top of each sleeve, 
at equal distances, and four corresponding tapes sewed to 
the inside of each arm-hole of your gowns. 

The best sea-stockings are those of substantial, un- 
bleached cotton. - No others are so comfortable. Dark 
satin-ribbed cotton stockings are also good ; so are the 
black raw silk, such as are shaggy inside. Take with 
you some very thick gray yarn stockings, to put on when 
your feet are cold in bed, and to draw on, occasionally, 
over your shoes and other stockings. Gaiter-boots, and 
boots lined with fur, are very comfortable when once on ; 



360 

but at sea, there is often some trouble in lacing or button- 
ing them. Shoes worn on ship-board should be thin- 
soled and roomy, so that you may walk the deck easier, 
and keep your feet better when the vessel rolls. Shoes 
of wadded silk are very pleasant at sea ; so are Indian 
moccasins, or carpet moccasins lined with wool. Take 
with you two or three pairs of woolly sheep-skin soles, 
such as are coated on the under side with india-rubber 
varnish. They are warm, dry, and water-proof; can be 
slipped into your shoes or taken out, as occasion may 
require ; and either for sea or shore, are far superior to 
the cork soles also in use. 

A sea-bonnet should have a deep, close front, and 
a cape or ruffle at the back of the neck. The com- 
plexion is always liable to be injured by the salt air, the 
glare of the sun, and the bleak wind. A quilted close 
bonnet of dark silk or satin, lined with pink, blue, or 
lemon-colour, may be made to look very pretty. Cane 
or whalebone being very apt to break in the wind, it is 
best to run wired-satin piping-cord into the cases of a sea- 
bonnet, and round the edge. This will stiffen it suffi- 
ciently ; and being very elastic, will keep it in shape 
without danger of breaking. These bonnets should, by 
all means, have a large wadded cape attached to them. 
At sea, it is important to keep the back of the neck 
always covered, for its exposure to the air may produce 
rheumatic pains in the head, shoulders, and face. Even 
in the cabin, and at all times when on ship-board, (except 
in decidedly warm weather,) it is prudent to wear a 
handkerchief of silk, cashmere, or velvet, tied or pinned 
round the neck, with a corner covering it closely behind. 

Provide yourself, also, with a pair or two of warm 
gloves. On days when fire is most needed, it is most 
difficult to have it in the cabin of a ship. If the wind is 
strong, it impedes the draught of the stove, and fills the 



CROSSING THE SEA. 361 

cabin with the smoke that is beaten down the chimney. 
And if the vessel rolls much, (as she always will in rough 
weather,) there is danger of the fire falling about the 
floor ; and to prevent accidents from this cause, it is 
deemed safest to extinguish it entirely, or else not to 
kindle it at all. The passengers must depend chiefly on 
their clothing for warmth enough to make them tolerably 
comfortable, — particularly if they cross the ocean early 
in the spring or late in the autumn. But, as we before 
observed, a spring-passage is always the coldest. In the 
autumn, there is no danger of meeting with icebergs. 
Also, the ocean- water still retains a portion of the warmth 
communicated to it by the summer sun ; while, in the 
spring, it remains a long while chilled from the cold of 
the preceding winter. 

As dressing on ship-board is always more or less trou- 
blesome and inconvenient, on account of the motion of 
the vessel, and must generally be done in a sitting pos- 
ture, it is well to make one dressing suffice for the day. 

When packing to go on board, select such articles as 
are indispensable for use during the voyage, and put 
them all into one trunk, which must not be too large to 
keep in your state-room. You will find drawers there, 
in which you can place your caps, collars, handkerchiefs, 
and other light articles. Have a strong linen clothes-bag, 
with a drawing-string at the top, to hang up on one of the 
pegs or hooks in your apartment. The remainder of 
your baggage must be put below, in the place appropri- 
ated to stowing away the trunks of the passengers, with 
the understanding that they are to remain there all the 
voyage. 

However pleasant you may find it to stay on deck, it 
is best, as soon as you get on board, to go to your state- 
room, and make your arrangements there, lest you should 
be rendered incapable of doing so by the approach of sea- 
•>i 



362 

sickness ; an event that may usually be expected within 
an hour after the vessel gets under-vvay, if she sails from 
New York or Boston, or any port in the vicinity of the 
ocean. Take out of your trunk your night-clothes, your 
easiest slippers, and whatever articles you may require 
for immediate use ; and place them where they can be 
directly accessible. 

Some few ladies, as well as gentlemen, cross the ocean 
without being in the least troubled with sea-sickness ; and 
very many only suffer from it during the first two or 
three days, and are then perfectly well during the re- 
mainder of the passage, however stormy it may be. If 
you should incline to be sick, it will be nearly useless to 
struggle against it the first day or two. You may try as 
a preventive, or as an early remedy when the first symp- 
toms come upon you, a lump of loaf-sugar placed in the 
bottom of a wine-glass, with just as much brandy poured 
on as will be sufficient to dissolve it, so that it can be 
eaten with a tea-spoon. If taken in time, this frequently 
succeeds ; and it rarely fails in the short sickness that is 
sometimes felt in excursions down in the bay of New 
York ; or in Boston harbour, when the water is rough ; or 
in going round Point Judith ; or in a trip by sea to any 
of the coast bathing-places. 

If you find your sickness increasing, give up to it tor 
a day or two ; and you will afterwards feel much the 
better for it. For the first two days you need take 
no nourishment but chicken-water. Avoid lemonade, 
oranges, all other acids, and every sort of warm drink. 
Be careful, while you are sick, not to taste any thing that 
you may like to eat afterwards, as it will give you a 
disgust to it during the remainder of the voyage. For 
the same reason, it is well not to use cologne-water, or 
any very fine perfume during your sickness. Liquid 
camphor, sprinkled over the bed and floor, will be found 



CROSSING THE SEA. 363 

more refreshing and purifying to the atmosphere than 
any thing else that you can take with you. 

The third day (if not before) you ought to make every 
possible exertion to go on deck, as you will be losing 
strength by remaining in bed ; and as long as you keep 
your head in a recumbent posture, you will not become 
accustomed to the motion of the vessel. Also, on the 
third day, endeavour to eat a small portion of solid, re- 
lishing food — such as a piece of broiled ham, or the 
lean of salt beef, with a slice of dry toast. We have 
known what is called the tone of the- stomach restored 
after sea-sickness by a little of the sailors' salt beef and 
biscuit. Something of this sort is always more effective 
than light or delicate food. 

It will be well before you embark, to provide yourself 
with a box of that excellent medicine known as Lady 
Webster's (or Lady Crespigny's) pills. They are called 
by both names ; probably because both these ladies 
patronized them in England. You may take one every 
night immediately after supper. In Philadelphia they 
are made according to the best recipe by J. C. Turn- 
penny, druggist, corner of Spruce and Tenth streets. 

You may find a clay-ball for the removal of grease 
spots very useful to keep in your room ; as, when the 
ship is rolling, greasy substances are frequently spilt on 
dresses. 

Take with you and keep always in your apartment, a 
life-preserver, in case of being wrecked in sight of land; 
and it may really save your life by buoying you up, and 
floating you to the shore. It is said that a man's hat, 
laid brim downwards, and tied up in a shawl or pocket- 
handkerchief, and then fastened round the waist, will 
keep a person above water long enough to prevent 
drowning, if not far from the beach. The ladies of New 
York and Boston, and of other cities on the sea-board, 



364 the lady's receipt-book. 

have it in their power to learn, without danger or diffi- 
culty, the art of swimming ; by subscribing to the salt- 
water baths, and visiting them daily during the summer. 
Nothing will make a sea-voyage seem shorter or less 
monotonous, than to be well provided with occupation — 
such as amusing and interesting books, and a due portion 
of needle-work or knitting. By all means take with you 
one or more blank-books for the purpose of noting down 
whatever you may wish to remember. If you can keep 
a regular journal, so much the better. Also, the first 
day that you are able to write after getting to sea, com- 
mence on a large sheet of paper, a letter to one of your 
relations or friends, having previously folded and directed 
it. Write but a few lines at first ; and every day add a 
little more to it, giving the fresh dates. It will always 
be ready (requiring only a wafer to seal it) in case you 
should have an opportunity of sending it by any vessel 
you may chance to meet, on her way to the land you 
have left. If no such chance offers during the voyage, 
this diary-letter will at least be ready to transmit with 
those you write home directly after arriving at your 
destined post. And your friends will be glad to have 
this concise transcript of your sea-life. 



365 



BREAKFAST, DINNERS, SUPPERS, ETC. 



At the earnest request of numerous young housekeepers, 
the author has heen induced to offer the following- hints for 
the selection of suitable articles in preparing breakfasts, 
dinners, and suppers. They, of course, may be varied 
according to convenience, taste, and the size and circum- 
stances of the family. Receipts for them all may be found 
either in the present work, or in its predecessor, " Miss 
Leslie's Directions for Cookery." 



BREAKFASTS FOR SPRING AND SUMMER. 
—Fresh shad broiled ; hashed mutton ; boiled eggs ; 
potatoes fried— Indian cakes ; rolls. 

Hashed veal ; broiled ham ; poached eggs ; mashed 
potatoes— Milk toast ; rolls. 

Fried cat-fish ; omelet ; cold boiled ham, or smoked 
tongue — Rolls ; buttered toast. 

Veal cutlets ; stewed clams ; ham and eggs ; potatoes 
mashed — Rye batter cakes ; rolls. 

Clam fritters ; hashed veal ; cold ham ; potatoes — 
Milk toast ; muffins. 

Fresh shad broiled ; stewed chickens ; cream cheese 
— Indian batter cakes ; rolls. 

Mutton chops ; omelet ; boiled potatoes — Rice batter 
cakes ; muffins. 

Minced veal ; broiled ham ; poached eggs ; cream 
cheese — Milk toast ; rolls. 

31* 



366 the lady's receipt-book. 

Pickled salmon ; broiled chickens ; eggs— Indian cakes ; 
milk toast. 

Stewed chickens ; broiled ham with eggs ; mashed 
potatoes — Rye batter cakes ; rolls. 

Fried egg-plant ; tongue or ham toast ; pepper-grass 
— Indian batter cakes ; rolls. 

Broiled chickens ; pork cheese ; potatoes sliced and 
fried — Rye batter cakes ; muffins. 

Stewed pigeons ; young corn omelet ; mashed potatoes 
— Flannel cakes ; toast. 

Clam fritters; stewed egg-plant; broiled tomatoes — 
Rice cakes ; rolls. 

Broiled chickens ; mock oysters of corn ; cold ham- 
Milk toast ; muffins. 

Hashed veal ; ham omelet ; cucumbers : pepper-grass 
— Rice cakes ; muffins. 

Birds with mushrooms ; soft omelet ; sliced ham or 
tongue — Flannel cakes ; toast. 

Tongue or ham toast ; stewed mushrooms ; cucum- 
bers — Indian batter cakes ; rolls. 

Fresh mackerel broiled ; potatoes ; young corn omelet 
— Rice cakes ; rolls. 

Broiled ham with poached eggs ; fried chickens ; cu- 
cumbers — Rye batter cakes ; toast. 

Stewed chickens ; fried sweet potatoes ; broiled toma- 
toes — Flannel cakes ; rolls. 

In warm weather fresh fruit (thoroughly ripe, and 
eaten with sugar) is an agreeable and wholesome addition 
to the breakfast table. Fruit-jam, marmalade, and honey 
may be introduced at any season. 



BREAKFASTS. 367 

AUTUMN AND WINTER BREAKFASTS.— 

Pigeons stewed with mushrooms; fried sweet potatoes ; 
broiled tomatoes — Muffins ; milk toast. 

Fresh fish broiled ; cold ham ; potatoes — Indian cakes ; 
rolls. 

Oysters stewed or fried ; broiled ham with poached 
eggs — Toast ; rolls. 

Broiled chickens ; ham omelet ; broiled tomatoes- 
Indian cakes ; toast. 

Stewed chickens ; egg-plant sliced and fried ; potatoes 
— Rice batter cakes ; rolls. 

Hashed duck ; ham broiled ; poached eggs — Flannel 
cakes ; toast. 

Oyster fritters ; cold ham or tongue ; sweet potatoes 
sliced and broiled — Indian cakes ; rolls. 

Mutton chops; broiled tomatoes; pickled salmon — Rice 
batter cakes ; toast. V, 

Beef-steaks ; stewed oysters ; boiled potatoes — Indian 
cakes ; muffins. 

Stewed chickens ; sausages ; mashed potatoes — Rolls ; 
toast. 

Broiled chickens ; liver pudding sliced ; potatoes- 
Buckwheat cakes ; rolls. 

Hashed veal ; pig's feet fried ; potatoes — Buckwheat 
cakes ; toast. 

Venison steaks ; broiled sweet potatoes ; eggs — Indian 
batter cakes ; rolls. 

Venison pasty ; fried smelts ; mashed potatoes — Buck- 
wheat cakes ; toast. 

Minced cod-fish, drest with eggs, parsnips, onions, 
butter, &c. ; sausages ; boiled potatoes — Indian cakes ; 
rolls. 

In cold weather, small hominy, boiled, is often intro- 
duced at breakfast tables—- also indian mush, to be eaten 



368 

with butter and molasses. We subjoin a receipt for 
pumpkin mush, an excellent and wholesome breakfast 
dish. 

PUMPKIN MUSH.— Pour into a clean pot, two 
quarts or more of good milk, and set it over the fire. Have 
ready some pumpkin stewed very soft and dry ; mashed 
smooth, and pressed in a cullender till all the liquid has 
drained off. Then measure a large pint of the stewed 
pumpkin ; mix with it a piece of fresh butter, and a tea 
spoonful of ground ginger. Stir it gradually into the 
milk, as soon as it has come to a boil. Add, by degrees, 
a large pint or more of indian-meal, a little at a time, 
stirring it in, very hard, with the mush-stick. If you 
find the mush too thin, as you proceed, add, in equal 
portions, more pumpkin and more indian-meal, till it be- 
comes so thick you can scarcely stir it round. After it 
is all thoroughly mixed, and has boiled well, it will be 
greatly improved by diminishing the fire a little, or 
hanging the pot higher up, so as to let it simmer an hour 
or more. Mush can scarcely be cooked too much. Eat 
it warm with butter and molasses, or with rich milk. It 
is very good at luncheon in cold weather. 

After boiling small hominy, drain off the water, and 
leave the dish uncovered. If covered up, the condensa- 
tion of the steam will render the hominy thin and washy. 



BREAKFAST PARTIES.— Black tea; green tea; 
coffee ; chocolate ; hot cakes of various sorts ; omelets ; 
birds ; game ; oysters, stewed, fried, and pickled ; cold 
tongue ; cold ham ; biscuit sandwiches ; boned turkey, 
cold ; potted or pickled lobster ; raised French pie ; 
pigeon, partridge, or moorfowl pie ; mushrooms fried, 
broiled, or stewed ; jellies ; marmalade ; honey ; fresh 



DINNERS. 369 

fruit, or sweetmeats, according- to tne season ; a large 
almond sponge-cake. The table decorated with flowers. 

At a breakfast party the dress of the ladies should be 
more simple than at a dinner or a supper party. 



ECONOMICAL DINNERS FOR SMALL FAMI- 
LIES. — The receipts for these plain dishes are generally 
to be found in Miss Leslie's " Directions for Cookery," a 
work to which the present^book is supplemental. 

SPRING. — Boiled ham ; spinach ; asparagus ; poke ; 
potatoes* — Rhubarb pie. 

Veal cutlets ; cold ham ; spinach ; turnips ; poke ; as- 
paragus — Baked batter pudding. 

Broiled halibut cutlets ; cold ham ; spinach ; turnips ; 
asparagus — Boiled indian pudding. 

Calf's liver fried with ham ; asparagus ; turnips ; 
poke ; spinach — Rhubarb pudding. 

Boiled leg of mutton ; stewed onions ; turnips ; car- 
rots — Baked rice pudding. 

Family soup ; fried ham and eggs ; asparagus ; beets; 
spinach — Baked indian pudding. 

Corned beef ; cabbage; carrots; stewed onions ; beets 
— Fritters. 

Broiled shad ; cold corned beef; carrots ; spinach ; 
asparagus — Eastern pudding. 

Veal pie ; fried ham and eggs ; asparagus ; spinach ; 
turnips — Gooseberry fool. 



* There is no necessity for repeating the mention of potatoes. It 
will of course be understood that potatoes should constitute a portion 
of every dinner. Also that pickles should always be on the table 
with beef and mutton. 



370 

Roast veal; peas; asparagus; spinach— Gooseberry 
pudding. 

Boiled rock-fish ; hashed veal ; peas ; spinach ; aspa- 
ragus — Farmer's rice pudding. 

Boiled ham ; peas ; beans ; spinach — Gooseberry pie. 

Veal soup ; cold ham ; stewed onions ; beans ; peas — 
Currant pie. 

Roast beef; horse-radish; peas; beans; asparagus — 
Ctfstard in a dish. 

Fresh cod-fish boiled; cold roast beef ; horse-radish; 
peas ; beans ; spinach — Eastern pudding. 

Mutton soup ; the meat that was boiled in it ; stewed 
onions; turnips; suet dumplings — Currant pie. 

Roast lamb with mint-sauce ; asparagus ; peas ; 
spinach — Custard in a dish. 

Boiled black-fish ; cold roast lamb ; spring salad ; 
beans; peas — Gooseberry pudding. 

Green pea-soup ; veal cutlets ; salad ; peas ; beans- 
Currant pie. 

Boiled ham ; fried chickens ; peas ; beans ; salad — 
Fritters or pancakes. 

Roast fillet of veal ; cold ham ; peas ; beans ; salad — 
Gooseberry pie. 

Hashed veal ; broiled ham with eggs ; peas ; beans — 
Boiled indian pudding. 

Boiled sea-bass ; beef-steaks ; onions ; beans ; peas- 
Currant pie. 

Stewed breast of veal ; fried ham with eggs ; peas ; 
beans — Gooseberry pudding. 

Fresh cod-fish boiled ; mutton chops ; stewed onions ; 
beans ; peas— -Baked batter pudding. 

Baked beef with a batter pudding under it ; beans ; 
peas — Gooseberry pie. 

Broiled mackerel ; stewed mutton ; stewed onions ; 
beans ; peas — Boiled rice pudding. 



DINNERS. 371 

Boiled halibut ; beef-steaks ; onions ; beans ; peas — 
Currant pudding. 

Salt cod-fish ; stewed onions ; veal cutlets ; beans ; 
peas— Baked rice pudding. 



PLAIN DINNERS FOR SUMMER.— Clam soup ; 
beef-steaks ; stewed onions ; peas ; beans ; summer cab- 
bage — Cherry pie. 

Boiled ham ; veal cutlets ; cucumbers ; beans ; peas — 
Custard pudding. 

Cat-fish soup ; cold ham ; cucumbers ; peas ; beans — 
Cherry pie. 

Stewed fillet of veal ; cold ham ; squashes ; beans ; 
beets — Batter pudding, baked. 

Boiled black-fish ; beef-steak pie ; squashes ; beans ; 
beets — Cherry pudding. 

Fried sea-bass ; stewed knuckle of veal ; cucumbers ; 
squashes ; beans — Raspberry pudding. 

Boiled mackerel ; beef-steaks ; onions ; cucumbers ; 
beans ; squashes — Baked rice pudding. 

Clam soup ; stewed fillet of veal ; cucumbers ; beets ; 
fried egg-plant — Sweet potatoe pudding. 

Beef-steaks with stewed onions ; boiled crabs ; cucum- 
bers ; squashes ; boiled corn — Raspberry pie. 

Stewed leg of mutton ; turnips; squashes; beets; cu- 
cumbers — Blackberry pie. 

Boiled ham ; clam fritters ; beans ; summer cabbage ; 
corn— Custard pudding. 

Clam pie ; cold ham ; sweet potatoes ; lima beans ; 
squashes — Boiled batter pudding. 

Boiled fowls ; fried ham and eggs ; lima beans ; sweet 
potatoes ; beets — Raspberry pie. 

Roast ducks ; stewed egg-plant ; lima beans ; sweet 
potatoes ; turnips — Custard. 



372 the lady's receipt-book. 

Boiled leg of mutton ; nasturtian sauce ; turnips ; to- 
matoes ; beets — Blackberry pie. 

Pilau ; clam pie ; lima beans ; mashed turnips ; to- 
matoes — Boiled indian pudding. 

Beef-steak pie ; stewed egg-plant ; turnips ; lima 
Deans ; boiled corn — Boiled rice pudding. 

Boiled rock-fish ; stewed breast of veal ; sweet pota- 
toes ; tomatoes ; lima beans — Green corn pudding. 

Roast pig with apple sauce ; turnips ; lima beans ; 
sweet potatoes— Raspberry pie. 

Boiled harr. ; fried chickens ; lima beans ; tomatoes ; 
boiled corn — Green gage pie. 

Pot-pie ; mashed turnips ; lima beans; sweet potatoes; 
cucumbers — Fritters. 

Fried sea-bass; boiled fowls; cauliflower; tomatoes; 
lima beans — Peach pie. 

Roast ducks ; cauliflower ; tomatoes ; lima beans — 
Green gage pudding. 

Boiled ham ; clam fritters ; summer cabbage ; lima 
beans — Apple pie. 

Fried chickens ; cold ham ; cauliflower ; tomatoes ; 
sweet potatoes — Sweet potatoe pudding. 

Fried calf's liver ; cold ham ; chitterlings or calf's 
tripe ; tomatoes ; cauliflower ; sweet potatoes — Peach 
pie. 

Stewed beef's heart ; clam fritters ; sweet potatoes ; 
tomatoes; squashes — Squash pudding. 

Corned beef; cabbage; carrots; stewed onions; to- 
matoes — Plum pie. 

Veal cutlets; cold corned beef; tomatoes; squashes; 
boiled corn — Blackberry pudding. 

Harico of mutton ; fried chickens ; sweet potatoes ; 
lima beans; beets; boiled corn — Peach pudding. 

Chowder; mutton chops; turnips; stewed tomatoes; 
boiled corn-— Huckleberry pudding. 



DINNERS. 373 

Stewed breast of veal; tomatoes; cauliflower; lima 
beans — Green gage pudding. 

Clam pie; veal cutlet; lima beans; boiled corn — 
Boiled indian pudding. 

Halibut cutlets ; -roasted beef's heart ; tomatoes ; sweet 
potatoes ; boiled corn — Plum pie. 

Cat-fish soup; chicken pie; beans; peas; tomatoes 
— Raspberry pudding boiled. 

Sea-shore dinner. — Chowder ; crabs ; broiled mack- 
erel ; potatoes — Raisin pudding. 



PLAIN DINNERS FOR AUTUMN.— Fresh pork, 
stewed with sweet potatoes ; lima beans ; tomatoes ; corn 
— Plum pie. 

Roast ducks ; stewed egg-plant ; tomatoes ; lima beans ; 
squashes ; turnips — Peach pie. 

Ochra soup ; beef-steaks ; tomatoes ; lima beans ; sweet 
potatoes — Sweet potatoe pudding. 

Roast leg of pork, with apple sauce ; sweet potatoes ; 
lima beans — Custard. 

Rabbit soup ; boiled ham ; cauliflower ; lima beans ; 
tomatoes — Peach pie. 

Ham pie ; veal cutlets ; salsify ; sweet potatoes ; lima 
beans — Peach pudding. 

Rabbit pot-pie ; broiled ham with eggs ; lima beans ; 
sweet potatoes — Baked bread pudding. 

Pigeon soup; beef-steaks; onions; tomatoes; lima 
beans ; sweet potatoes — Apple pie. 

Stewed beef ; tomatoes; turnips; salsify; sweet pota- 
toes; turnips — Bread and butter pudding. 

Ox-tail soup ; fried rabbits ; lima beans ; beets ; sweet 
potatoes — Peach pie. 

32 



374 

Roast leg of mutton ; stewed onions ; russian turnips ; 
beets — Apple rice pudding. 

Mutton harico ; fried chickens ; turnips ; salsify ; lima 
beans — Eastern pudding. 

Pork and beans ; stewed rabbits ; tomatoes ; sweet po- 
tatoes ; russian turnips— Boiled indian pudding. 

Oyster soup ; roast goose with apple sauce ; turnips ; 
sweet potatoes — Sweet potatoe pudding. 

Boiled fowls with celery sauce ; oyster fritters ; tur- 
nips ; sweet potatoes ; winter-squash — Apple pie. 

Roast pork with apple sauce ; turnips ; salsify ; toma- 
toes ; sweet potatoes — Baked batter pudding. 

Roast beef with horse-radish ; sweet potatoes ; turnips ; 
tomatoes ; cold-slaw — Baked apple pudding. 

Mutton soup ; the meat that was boiled in it ; hashed 
beef; turnips ; beets ; tomatoes — Baked rice pudding. 

Fresh pork stewed with parsnips ; turnips ; winter- 
squash or cashaw — -Apple dumplings. 

Beefbouilli; oyster fritters; turnips; stewed onions; 
winter-squash — Apple pie. 

Stewed leg of mutton ; russian turnips ; sweet potatoes ; 
salsify — Baked bread pudding. 

Hashed mutton ; fried ham with eggs ; turnips ; toma- 
toes ; winter-squash — Apple pudding, boiled. 

Beef-steak pot-pie ; turnips ; tomatoes ; stewed pump- 
kin — Fritters or pancakes. 

Boiled corned pork ; cabbage ; winter-squash ; turnips 
—Bread and butter pudding. 

Roast mutton ; turnips ; cold-slaw ; beets ; tomatoes- 
Boiled rice pudding. 

Bean soup ; cassarole of mutton ; turnips ; beets ; cold- 
slaw — Apple pie. 

Pork pie with apples in it ; veal cutlets ; turnips ; 
beets ; tomatoes- — Boiled indian pudding. 



DINNERS. 375 

Corned beef; cale cannon ; tomatoes ; beets ; turnips ; 
carrots — Indian fritters. 

Cold corned beef ; tripe and oysters ; stewed onions ; 
cold-slaw — Pumpkin padding. 

Fresh beef stewed with parsnips ; tomatoes ; .turnips ; 
beets—Baked rice pudding. 

Boiled ham ; cabbage ; tomatoes ; stewed pumpkin ; 
turnips — Apple pie. 

Stewed beefs-heart ; cold ham ; winter-squash; beets 
— Eastern pudding. 

Pigeon pie ; smoked tongue ; winter-squash ; turnips 
— Apple rice pudding. 

Ox-tail soup ; veal cutlets ; turnips ; tomatoes ; winter- 
squash — Dried peach pudding. 



PLAIN DINNERS FOR WINTER.— Boiled ham ; 

cabbage; beets; cold-slaw; hominy — -Apple pie. 

Chicken pie ; cold ham ; turnips ; beets ; hominy — 
Boiled batter pudding. 

Pease soup ; beef-steaks ; onions ; turnips ; beets ; 
cold-slaw— Baked rice pudding. 

Roast goose with apple sauce ; turnips ; beets ; win- 
ter-squash— Cranberry pie. 

Pork and beans ; stewed fowl ; winter-squash ; turnips 
— Eastern pudding. 

Salt cod-fish with onions and eggs ; parsnips ; pigeon 
dumplings ; turnips ; beets — Apple pie. 

Pickled pork with pease-pudding; winter-squash; 
hominy— Molasses pie. 

Roast turkey with cranberry sauce ; turnips ; winter- 
squash ; salsify — Custard pudding. 

Pork pie with apples ; oyster fritters ; turnips ; stewed 
pumpkin — Boiled bread pudding. 

Round of beef stewed ; parsnips ; cale cannon ; carrots ; 
turnips— -Baked indian pudding. 



376 

Fried rabbits ; cold beef ; turnips; winter-squash; ho- 
miny — Boiled batter pudding. 

Pot-pie ; winter-squash ; turnips ; beets — Pumpkin 
pudding. 

Boiled corned pork with indian dumplings ; stewed 
pumpkin ; turnips— Baked bread pudding. 

Bean soup ; beef-steaks ; onions ; turnips ; winter- 
squash — Squash pudding. 

Boiled leg of mutton with nasturtian sauce ; turnips 
stewed pumpkin ; hominy— Pumpkin pudding. 

Salt cod-fish ; onions ; eggs ; parsnips ; pork-steaks— 
Apple pot-pie. 

Boiled ham ; cabbage ; winter-squash ; hominy — Dried 
peach pie. 

Pilau ; mutton chops ; turnips ; winter-squash ; cold- 
slaw — Apple bread pudding. 

Roast fowls ; turnips ; winter-squash ; salsify — Cran- 
berry pie. 

Roast beef; horse-radish; winter-squash; turnips 
cold-slaw — Pumpkin pudding. 

Family soup ; veal cutlets ; turnips ; winter-squash ; 
parsnips — Dried apple pie. 

Roast pork ; apple sauce ; turnips ; stewed pumpkin ; 
parsnips — Baked rice pudding. 

Beef-steak pudding; fried ham and eggs; turnips; 
winter-squash — Rice custard. 

Boiled fowls ; oyster fritters ; turnips ; winter-squash 
— Carrageen blanc-mange. 

Beef-steak pot-pie ; turnips ; parsnips ; winter-squash 
— Apple bread pudding. 

Corned beef; cabbage; turnips; carrots; beets — In- 
dian fritters. 

Stewed rabbits ; cold corned beef; cale cannon ; win- 
ter-squash ; parsnips — Boiled indian pudding. 



DINNERS. 377 

Ox-tail soup ; roast leg of mutton ; turnips ; winter- 
squash ; parsnips — Apple dumplings. 

Beef-steaks broiled ; mutton harico; onions; hominy; 
turnips ; beets — Indian fritters. 

Christmas dinner. — Roast turkey ; cranberry sauce ; 
boiled ham ; turnips ; beets ; winter-squash — Mince 
pies. 

New Year's dinner. — A pair of roast geese with apple 
o-auce ; smoked tongue ; turnips ; cold-slaw ; winter- 
squash — Plum pudding. 



VERY NICE FAMILY DINNERS FOR SPRING. 

— Spring soup ; roast fillet of veal ; (potatoes always ;) 
peas ; stewed spinach — Rhubarb pie ; custards. 

Stewed rock-fish : roast lamb with mint sauce ; peas ; 
asparagus ; poke — Gooseberry pie ; boiled custard. 

Clam soup ; roast loin of veal ; stewed peas ; spinach ; 
asparagus — Tapioca pudding ; gooseberry fool. 

Stewed sea-bass ; roast beef; stewed spinach ; stewed 
peas ; asparagus ; beets — Currant pie ; custards. 

Stewed halibut ; chicken pie ; stewed peas ; stewed 
beans ; asparagus — Boiled lemon pudding ; gooseberry 
pie. 

Green pea soup ; roast fillet of veal ; beans ; peas ; 
asparagus — Gooseberry pudding; boiled custard. 

Boiled ham ; roast ducks with apple sauce ; stewed 
peas ; beans ; asparagus — Currant pie ; green custard. 

Cat-fish soup.; roast lamb w r ith mint sauce ; peas; as- 
paragus ; spinach — Ground rice pudding ; gooseberry 
fool. 

Clam pie ; roast loin of veal ; stewed peas ; asparagus ; 
stewed spinach — Currant pudding ; red custard. 

Maccaroni soup ; roast ducks with apple sauce ; peas ; 
asparagus ; spinach — Currant pie ; gelatine custard. 
32* 



378 the lady's receipt-book. 

Baked shad ; stewed fillet of veal ; peas ; asparagus ; 
spinach — Souffle pudding ; gooseberry pie. 

Roast lamb with mint sauce ; clam-sweetbreads ; 
peas ; beans ; asparagus— Ground rice pudding ; currant 
pie. 

Corned fillet of veal ; clam pie ; stewed peas ; spinach ; 
beans ; asparagus — Gooseberry pudding ; green fritters. 

Roast beef ; stewed sweetbreads with oysters; beans; 
peas ; asparagus — Gelatine blanc-mange ; gooseberry 
fool. 

Halibut cutlets ; stewed lamb ; peas ; beans ; aspara- 
gus ; beets — Maccaroni pudding; currant pie. 

Boiled ham ; fowl and oysters ; asparagus ; spinach ; 
peas — Gooseberry pie ; custards. 

Green pea soup ; chicken pie ; broiled ham ; peas ; 
aspargus ; beans — Biscuit pudding ; gooseberry fool. 

FAMILY DINNERS FOR SUMMER— VERY 

NICE. — Fresh salmon stewed ; roast ducks with stewed 
currant sauce ; beans ; peas ; turnips — Cherry pie ; cus- 
tards.' 

Clam soup ; roast fowls ; peas ; turnips ; beans — 
Raspberry charlotte; green fritters. 

Boiled ham ; sweetbreads with cauliflowers ; lima 
beans ; tomatoes ; baked egg-plant — Sunderlands ; straw- 
berries and cream. 

Roast fillet of veal ; smoked tongue ; lima beans ; to- 
matoes ; stewed egg-plant — Sweet potatoe pudding ; fla- 
voured curds and whey. 

Baked salmon ; terrapin veal ; chicken pie ; sweet 
potatoes ; lima beans ; tomatoes — Charlotte pudding ; 
strawberries and cream. 

Chickens stewed whole ; boiled ham ; summer cab- 
bage ; beans ; sweet potatoes — Maccaroni pudding ; 
raspberries and cream. 



DINNERS. 379 

Roast beef; fried chickens; cauliflowers; tomatoes; 
lima beans; sweet potatoes — Cherry pie ; custards. 

Roast ducks with currant sauce ; smoked tongue ; 
stewed onions ; lobster salad ; stewed beans ; peas — 
.Boiled femon pudding; strawberries and cream. 

Boiled ham ; tomato chickens ; beans ; turnips ; egg 
plant ; sweet potatoes — Sweet potatoe pudding ; rasp- 
berries and cream. 

Clam pie ; stewed wild ducks ; sweet potatoes ; turnips ; 
squashes ; egg-plant — Peach pie : custards. 

Salmon cutlets ; chicken pie ; smoked tongue ; lima 
beans ; sweet potatoes ; squashes — Sweet potatoe pud- 
ding ; floating island. 

Chicken gumbo ; boiled ham ; young corn omelet ; 
lima beans ; sweet potatoes — Peach pie ; flavoured curds 
and whey. 

Roast pig with apple sauce ; chicken pie ; lima beans ; 
tomatoes; young corn omelet — Charlotte pudding; custard. 

Ochra soup; roast beef; tomatoes; lima beans; 
-squashes ; turnips — Squash pudding ; fritters. 

Stewed sea-bass ; boiled ham ; clam fritters ; sweet 
potatoes ; tomatoes ; lima beans — Peach pie ; boiled 
custard. 

Baked salmon-trout ; pigeon pie ; tomatoes ; lima beans ; 
sweet potatoes ; cucumbers — Sweet potatoe pudding ; 
peaches and cream. 

Sea-shore dinner. — Oyster soup ; clam pie ; stewed 
rock-fish ; crabs ; mashed potatoes — Boiled lemon pud- 
ding. 

♦ — : 

VERY NICE AUTUMN DINNERS FOR FAMI- 
LIES. — Autumn soup ; Roast fowls ; smoked tongue ; 
lima beans ; squashes ; sweet potatoes — Sweet potatoe 
pudding ; apple pie. 



380 

Italian pork ; roast ducks with apple sauce ; squashes ; 
egg-plant ; lima beans — Peach pie ; gelatine custard. 

Oyster soup; roast beef; sweet potatoes ; squashes; 
egg-plant ; lima beans — 'Quince pudding ; bread fritters. 

Sea-bass with tomatoes ; boiled ham ; pigeon pie ; sweet 
potatoes ; stewed red cabbage ; lima beans — Squash pud- 
ding ; preserved peaches. 

Ham pie ; sweetbreads with oysters ; sweet potatoes ; 
lima beans; egg-plant — Boiled lemon pudding ; preserved 
quinces. 

Rabbit soup; roast beef; cold-slaw; lima beans; to* 
matoes ; sweet potatoes — Sago pudding ; preserved to- 
matoes. 

Roast pork with apple sauce ; sweet potatoes ; lima 
beans ; egg-plant — Sweet potatoe pudding ; fritters. 

Boiled ham ; roast fowls ; stewed red cabbage ; turnips ; 
sweet potatoes; lima beans— Squash pudding; apple 
pie. 

Roast fillet of veal ; cold ham ; broccoli ; turnips ; 
lima beans ; sweet potatoes — Baked rice pudding ; pre- 
served peaches. 

Stewed pork with sweet potatoes ; fried rabbits ; 
onions ; turnips ; lima beans — Peach pudding ; custards. 

Roast goose with apple sauce ; smoked tongue ; onions ; 
turnips ; lima beans ; sweet potatoes — Eve's pudding ; 
floating island. 

Oyster soup ; chicken pie ; beef-steaks ; onion sauce ; 
tomatoes ; turnips ; sweet potatoes— Sweet potatoe pud- 
ding ; preserved peaches. + 

Roast fowls ; corned beef ; stewed red cabbage ; tur- 
nips ; tomatoes — Apple custard ; preserved tomatoes. 

Boiled rock-fish ; roast pork with apple sauce ; sweet 
potatoes ; turnips ; tomatoes — Baked apple pudding ; 
fritters. 

Oyster soup ; venison steaks ; tomato sweetbreads ; 



DINNERS. 381 

turnips ; sweet potatoes — Pumpkin pudding ; preserved 
tomatoes. 

Venison pie ; smoked tongue ; broccoli ; sweet pota- 
toes ; turnips ; winter-squash — Eve's pudding ; fritters. 

Roast venison ; oyster fritters ; turnips ; sweet pota- 
toes ; winter-squash — Apple pie ; boiled custard. 

Ochra soup ; roast fowls ; smoked tongue ; turnips ; 
sweet potatoes ; broccoli— Pumpkin pudding ; baked 
pears. 

WINTER DINNERS FOR FAMILIES— VERY 
NICE. — Winter soup ; roast beef; stewed onions ; cold- 
slaw ; turnips— Apple pie ; custards. 

Boiled ham; oyster pie; turnips; parsnips; stewed 
pumpkin — Baked rice pudding ; preserved tomatoes. 

Chicken pot-pie; oyster fritters; turnips; parsnips; 
beets — Pumpkin pudding; preserved peaches. 

Boiled turkey with oyster sauce ; smoked tongue ; 
turnips ; salsify ; beets — Cranberry pie ; custards. 

Roast fowls with cranberry sauce ; oyster fritters ; 
turnips ; beets ; winter-squash — Potatoe pudding ; pre- 
served quinces. 

Bean soup ; roast pork with apple sauce ; turnips ; 
pumpkin ; beets — Pumpkin pudding ; preserved to- 
matoes. 

Roast beef; scolloped oysters ; turnips ; parsnips ; 
stewed beets ; winter-squash — Cranberry pie ; boiled 
custard. 

Pease soup ; roast fowls ; turnips ; beets ; cold-slaw ; 
hominy ; winter-squash— Squash pudding ; baked apples. 

Roast turkey with cranberry sauce ; boiled ham ; win- 
ter-squash ; turnips ; salsify — Mince pudding ; lemon 
custards. 

Ham pie ; oyster fritters ; turnips ; winter-squash ; 
salsify ; stewed beets — Raisin pudding ; baked pears. 



382 the lady's receipt-book. 

Venison soup ; roast fowls ; stewed beets ; turnips ; 
winter-squash — Sago pudding ; baked apples. 

Roast venison with currant jelly ; chicken curry ; tur- 
nips ; w T inter-squash ; salsify — Cranberry pie ; custards. 

Roast fowls; boiled corned beef; cabbage; carrots; 
parsnips; turnips — Apple pie; boiled custard. 

Roast beef ; stewed fowls ; cold-slaw ; stewed beets ; 
turnips; hominy; salsify — Plum pudding; cranberry pie. 

Soup a la Julienne ; roast goose with apple sauce ; 
scolloped oysters ; turnips ; stewed onions ; stewed beets 
— Pumpkin pudding ; preserved pears. 

Roast mutton ; chicken curry ; cold-slaw ; beets ; tur- 
nips ; stewed pumpkin — Eve's pudding ; baked apples. 

Venison pasty ; fricasseed chickens ; turnips ; salsify ; 
winter-squash — Plum pudding ; preserved tomatoes. 

Roast beef; fricasseed fowls; cold-slaw; beets; tur- 
nips ; winter-squash — Mince pie ; custards. 

Boiled turkey with oyster sauce ; boiled ham ; stewed 
beets ; turnips ; cold-slaw — Pumpkin pudding ; baked 
apples. 

Bean soup ; cold ham ; roast fillet of veal ; stewed 
beets ; turnips ; winter-squash — Mince pie ; boiled cus- 
tard. 

A-la-mode beef; scolloped oysters ; turnips ; carrots ; 
beets ; cold-slaw — Carrot pudding ; preserved pears. 

Christmas and New Years' dinners. — Boiled turkey 
with oyster sauce ; two roast geese with apple sauce ; 
roasted ham ; chicken pie ; stewed beets ; cold-slaw ; 
turnips; salsify; winter-squash — Plum pudding; mince 
pie ; lemon custards ; cranberry pie. 

Roast turkey with cranberry sauce ; boiled fowls with 
celery sauce ; boiled ham ; goose pie ; turnips ; winter- 
squash; salsify; cold-slaw; beets — Mince pudding 
boiled; lemon pudding baked; pumpkin pudding. 



DINNERS. 383 

Mock turtle soup ; roast turkey with cranberry sauce ; 
boiled turkey with celery sauce ; roasted ham; smoked 
tongue; chicken curry; oyster pie; beets; cold-slaw; 
winter-squash; salsify; fried celery — Plum pudding; 
mince pie ; calves'-feet jelly; blanc-mange. 



COMPANY DINNERS— SPRING.— 1. Oyster soup ; 
boiled sheep's-head fish ; roasted ham ; white fricassee ; 
chickens stewed whole ; terrapin veal ; sweetbread cro- 
quettes ; asparagus ; stewed peas ; stewed spinach; fried 
celery ; maccaroni — Lemon pudding ; almond pudding ; 
calves'-feet jelly ; vanilla ice-cream. 

2. Maccaroni soup ; stewed rock-fish ; boiled ham ; 
brown fricassee ; veal rissoles ; chicken rice pudding ; 
larded sweetbreads ; asparagus loaves ; asparagus ome- 
let ; French spinach ; French peas ; stewed beets — Rhu- 
barb cups ; transparent pudding ; charlotte russe ; lemon 
ice-cream. 

3. French white soup ; baked sheep's-head fish ; 
boiled ham ; lamb cutlets, the French way ; roasted 
sweetbreads; beef's tongue stewed; French chicken 
pie ; maccaroni ; stewed peas ; stewed beans ; aspara- 
gus ; stewed spinach — Omelet souffle; Orleans pudding; 
bJanc-mange ; orange ice-cream. 

4. Fine clam soup ; halibut cutlets ; roasted ham ; 
brown fricassee ; broiled sweetbreads ; pigeon pie ; lob- 
ster rissoles; asparagus omelet; maccaroni; lettuce peas; 
asparagus ; French spinach ; potatoe snow — Boiled al- 
mond pudding ; sweetmeat fritters ; vanilla flummery ; 
cake syllabub. 

5. Green pea soup ; stewed sea-bass ; French ham 
pie ; baked tongue ; cutlets a la Maintenon ; fricasseed 
chickens ; maccaroni ; asparagus ; stewed peas ; stewed 
iDeans — Marietta pudding; Spanish blanc-mange ; calves'- 
feet jellv ; lemon ice-cream. 



384 the lady's receipt-book. 

6. Asparagus soup ; stewed halibut ; roasted ham ; 
chicken curry ; fricasseed sweetbreads ; terrapin veal ; 
chicken patties; maccaroni ; lettuce peas; potatoe snow; 
stewed beans ; stewed beets — Lady's pudding ; green 
custard ; wine fritters ; gooseberry water-ice. 

7. Friar's chicken ; halibut cutlets ; boiled ham ; 
French chicken pie ; sweetbread croquettes ; lamb cut- 
lets, French way ; lobster patties ; Columbus eggs ; 
French peas ; stewed beans ; stewed beets ; potatoe 
snow — Orleans pudding ; orange tarts ; pistachio cream ; 
iced jelly. 

8. Rich veal soup ; stewed carp ; boiled ham ; sweet- 
breads stewed with oysters ; roast ducks ; soft crabs ; 
chicken rice pudding ; stewed peas ; stewed beans ; 
stewed beets : potatoe snow — Maccaroni pudding ; red 
custard ; chocolate cream ; almond ice-cream. 



COMPANY DINNERS— SUMMER.— 1. Duck 

soup ; fresh salmon stewed ; roasted ham ; French 
chicken pie ; veal olives ; sweetbreads with cauli- 
flowers ; baked clams ; stewed lobster ; fried artichokes ; 
scolloped tomatoes ; lettuce peas; stewed beans ; lettuce 
chicken salad — Pine-apple pudding ; currant ice ; iced 
jelly ; strawberries and cream. 

2. Pigeon soup ; cream trout ; baked tongue ; terrapin 
veal; clam sweetbreads; chicken curry; roast ducks; 
fried cauliflower ; French peas ; stewed beans ; lobster 
salad — Lady's pudding ; pine-apple tarts ; raspberry 
charlotte; strawberry ice-cream. 

3. The best clam soup ; roasted salmon ; boiled ham ; 
rice pie ; tomato chickens ; sweetbread croquettes ; veal 
olives; lobster patties; cauliflower maccaroni; lima 
beans ; stuffed egg-plant ; sweet potatoes — Charlotte 
russe ; cherry water-ice ; vanilla blanc-mange ; iced 
jelly. 



DINNERS. 385 

4. Lobster soup ; baked salmon-trout ; tongue pie ; 
roast ducks ; fricasseed chickens ; sweetbreads with 
cauliflowers ; reed-birds ; lettuce peas ; stewed beans ; 
stewed beets ; Sydney Smith's salad — Almond pudding ; 
orange pudding ; vanilla ice-cream ; Spanish blanc- 
mange. 

5. Maccaroni soup; salmon steaks ; French ham pie ; 
chickens stewed whole ; white fricassee ; lobster rissoles ; 
tomato sweetbreads ; lima beans ; sweet potatoes ; young 
corn omelet ; potatoe snow ; fried cauliflower ; salad — 
French charlotte ; vanilla blanc-mange ; lemon custards ; 
raspberry ice-cream. 

6. Rich white soup ; boiled salmon ; roasted ham ; 
stewed ducks ; boiled fowls ; plovers ; scolloped tomatoes ' 
lima beans ; sweet potatoes ; cauliflower omelet ; lobster 
salad — Marietta pudding; raspberry charlotte ; iced jelly ; 
pistachio cream. 

7. Normandy soup ; roasted salmon ; boiled ham ; 
French chicken pie ; brown fricassee ; sweetbreads with 
cauliflowers ; lobster patties ; birds with mushrooms ; 
lima beans ; scolloped tomatoes ; sweet potatoes ; turnips ; 
stewed egg-plant ; salad — Orleans pudding ; maccaroni 
pudding ; Spanish blanc-mange ; peach ice-cream. 

8. Mock turtle soup ; baked salmon ; roasted ham ; 
tongue pie ; fricasseed chickens ; stewed ducks ; plovers ; 
clam sweet breads ; broccoli and eggs ; sweet potatoes ; 
onion custard ; lima beans ; salad — 'Orange tarts ; char- 
lotte russe ; maccaroni blanc-mange ; Marlborough pud- 
ding ; lemon ice-Crean. 

Sea-shore dinner. — Clam soup ; roast salmon ; boiled 
ham ; sea-coast pie ; stewed oysters ; fried oysters ; 
stewed lobster ; crabs ; baked clams ; mashed potatoes- 
Biscuit pudding ; sweetmeat fritters ; cake syllabub ; 
orange flummery. 

33 



386 the lady's receipt-book. 

COMPANY DINNERS— AUTUMN.— 1. Mock tur- 
tle soup ; stewed rock-fish ; roasted ham ; boiled fowls ; 
stewed ducks ; fried rabbits ; stuffed egg-plant ; broccoli 
and eggs ; fried artichokes ; stewed mushrooms ; potatoe 
snow; sweet potatoes — Chocolate pudding; meringued 
apples ; cake syllabub ; peach ice-cream. 

2. Venison soup ; baked salmon-trout ; boiled ham ; 
French chicken pie ; roast ducks with cranberry sauce ; 
veal olives ; sweetbread omelet ; stewed red cabbage ; 
turnips ; onion custard ; sweet potatoes — Boiled almond 
pudding; orange tarts; sweetmeat fritters; vanilla ice- 
cream. 

3. Rich brown soup ; sea-bass with tomatoes ; ham 
pie ; fricasseed chickens ; roast goose with apple sauce ; 
oyster omelet ; birds with mushrooms ; scolloped toma- 
toes ; cold-slaw ; sweet potatoes ; broccoli and eggs ; 
fried artichokes; onion custard— Lady's pudding; sweet- 
meat tarts ; lemon custards ; almond ice-cream. 

3. Normandy soup ; stewed rock-fish ; tongue pie ; 
roast fowls ; partridges in pears ; stewed ducks ; oyster 
loaves ; lima beans ; tomatoes broiled ; stewed mush- 
rooms ; cold-slaw; sweet potatoes — Orleans pudding; 
orange custards ; Spanish blanc-mange ; vanilla ice-cream. 

4. Spupe a la Julienne ; cream trout ; roasted ham ; 
stewed^wiid ducks; tomato sweetbreads; French oyster 
pie ; white fricassee ; mushroom omelet ; stewed red 
cabbage ; lima beans ; winter squash ; sweet potatoes ; 
turnips — Marrow pudding ; lemon custards ; meringued 
apples; peach ice-cream. 

5. The best oyster soup ; stewed rock-fish ; boiled 
ham; roast wild ducks with currant jelly; chicken rice 
pudding ; birds in a grove ; terrapin veal ; sweetbread 
croquettes ; turnips ; sweet potatoes ; onion custard ; 
broiled tomatoes — Vanilla flummery; omelet souffle; 
sweetmeat tarts ; lemon ice-cream. 



DINNERS. 387 

.6. Meg Merrilies soup; boiled rock-fish; roasted ham; 
stewed wild ducks ; French oyster pie ; roasted phea- 
sants ; Columbus eggs ; mushroom omelet ; lima beans ; 
sweet potatoes ; turnips ; winter-squash ; beets — Orange 
flummery; sweet potatoe pudding; calves' feet jelly; 
lemon ice-cream. 

7. Rich white soup ; sea-bass with tomatoes ; baked 
tongue ; roast goose with apple sauce ; fricasseed fowls ; 
venison steaks with currant-jelly ; oyster omelet ; broiled 
mushrooms ; turnips ; sweet potatoes ; winter-squash ; 
lima beans— Cocoa-nut pudding ; sweetmeat tarts ; lemon 
custards ; chocolate ice-cream. 

8. Hare or rabbit soup; stewed rock-fish,; boiled ham; 
pigeon pie ; roast fowls ; brown fricassee ; partridges in 
pears ; woodcocks ; oyster loaves ; turnips ; sweet pota- 
toes ; winter-squash ; beets ; cold-slaw — Sweet potatoe 
pudding ; orange tarts ; whipped cream ; Spanish blanc- 
mange. 

COMPANY DINNERS— WINTER.— 1. Mulliga- 
tawny soup ; fresh cod-fish fried ; boiled ham ; roast 
turkey with cranberry sauce ; fowls stewed whole ; 
oyster pie ; potatoe snow ; turnips ; parsnips ; winter- 
squash — Cocoa-nut pudding; lemon pudding; mince- 
pie; calves' feet jelly. 

2. Clear gravy soup ; stewed rock-fish ; roasted ham ; 
boiled turkey with oyster sauce ; venison pie ; brown 
fricassee ; sweet potatoes ; turnips ; parsnips ; beets — 
Orange pudding ; almond pudding; meringued apples; 
chocolate cream. 

3. Venison soup ; fresh cod-fish boiled ; smoked 
tongue ; pair of roast geese with apple sauce ; oyster 
pie ; French stew of rabbits ; turnips ; potatoe snow ; 
parsnips; onion custard; beets — Transparent pudding; 
orange tarts ; mince-pie ; floating island. 



388 

4. Mock turtle soup ; boiled rock-fish ; ham pie ; 
smoked tongue ; roast turkey with cranberry sauce ; boiled 
fowls with celery sauce ; oyster loaves ; sweetbread cro- 
quettes ; turnips ; parsnips ; beets ; maccaroni — Charlotte 
russe ; mince-pie ; calves' feet jelly ; blanc-mange. 

5. Rich brown soup ; fresh cod-fish stewed ; boiled 
ham ; venison roasted ; red-head ducks with currant 
jelly ; oyster patties ; veal rissoles ; turnips ; parsnips ; 
beets ; winter-squash ; cold-slaw — Mince-pudding ; ome- 
let souffle ; orange flummery ; vanilla ice-cream. 

6. Rich white soup ; fresh cod-fish fried ; roasted 
ham ; venison pie ; boiled turkey with oyster sauce ; 
partridges in pears ; chicken rice pudding ; potatoe 
snow; beets; turnips; winter-squash; stewed red cab- 
bage — Plum pudding ; chocolate blanc-mange ; cocoa-nut 
cream ; apple-jelly. 

7. Meg Merrilies soup ; stewed rock-fish ; boiled 
ham ; canvas-back ducks roasted ; French oyster pie ; 
fricasseed chickens ; veal olives ; winter-squash ; potatoe 
snow ; beets ; turnips ; maccaroni— Orange pudding ; 
cocoa-nut pudding ; cake syllabub ; chocolate ice-cream. 

8. Maccaroni soup ; fresh cod-fish stewed ; smoked, 
tongue ; canvas-back ducks stewed ; partridge pie ; fricas- 
seed fowls ; stewed sweetbreads with oysters ; turnips ; 
potatoe snow ; parsnips ; beets ; cold-slaw — Orleans pud- 
ding ; Italian charlotte ; apple compote ; orange-jelly. 

Christmas dinners. — Mock turtle soup ; stewed rock- 
fish ; roasted ham ; roasted venison with currant-jelly ; 
boiled turkey with oyster sauce ; roast geese with apple 
sauce ; French oyster pie ; fricasseed chickens ; potatoe 
snow ; parsnips ; beets ; winter-squash ; cold-slaw — 
Plum pudding; mince-pies; orange tarts ; cream cocoa- 
nut pudding ; Spanish blanc-mange ; apple-jelly; vanilla 
ice-cream. 



DINNER PARTIES. 389 

New Year's dinner. — Venison soup ; stewed fresh 
cod ; boiled ham ; roasted turkey with cranberry sauce ; 
roast goose with apple sauce ; partridge pie ; winter- 
squash ; beets ; potatoe snow ; cold-slaw — Columbian 
pudding ; lemon tarts ; charlotte polonaise ; vanilla 

blanc-mange ; trifle. 

— » — - 

LARGE DINNER PARTIES.— 1. Spring— Rich 
brown soup at one end ; rich white soup at the other ; 
two dishes of sheep's-head fish, one baked, one stewed, or 
else baked salmon-trout and cream trout ; roasted ham ; 
smoked tongue ; chickens stewed whole ; roast ducks with 
cranberry -jelly ; sweetbreads with oysters ; terrapin veal ; 
white fricassee ; brown fricassee ; sweetbread croquettes ; 
lobster rissoles ; oyster loaves ; lobster patties ; asparagus 
loaves; French spinach; French peas; cauliflower macca- 
roni ; stewed beans ; fried cauliflower ; fried artichokes ; 
stewed spinach ; asparagus omelet ; cauliflower omelet — 
Columbian pudding ; orange tarts ; lemon tarts ; charlotte 
polonaise ; green custard ; red custard ; pistachio cream ; 
maccaroon blanc-mange ; vanilla blanc-mange ; goose- 
berry-water ice ; currant-water ice ; almond ice-cream ; 
calves' feet jelly. 

2. Summer. — Turtle soup ; fresh salmon stewed ; sal- 
mon steaks ; baked turtle ; boiled ham ; baked tongue ; 
roast ducks with cherry-jelly ; chicken curry ; chicken 
patties ; sweetbreads and cauliflowers ; tomatoe sweet- 
breads ; lobster pie; stewed lobster; birds in a grove ; 
thatched house pie ; plovers roasted ; rice pie ; mush- 
room omelets ; broccoli and eggs ; fried artichokes ; 
stewed peas ; stewed beans ; stewed beets ; potatoe 
snow ; lettuce peas ; scolloped tomatoes ; mashed sweet 
potatoes ; stuffed egg-plants ; stewed egg-plant ; Sydney 
Smith's salad— Pine-apple tarts ; lady's pudding ; trans 
33* 



390 the lady's receipt-book. 

parent pudding ; marmalade puddings ; French char- 
lotte ; Italian charlotte ; iced jelly ; vanilla blanc-mange ; 
almond blanc-mange ; orange ice-cream ; strawberry ice- 
cream, 

3. Autumn.— Meg Merrilies soup ; sea-bass with to- 
matoes ; salmon-trout ; roasted ham ; smoked tongue ; 
roast fowls ; partridge pie ; birds with mushrooms ; par- 
tridges in pears ; terrapin ; young geese with apple 
sauce ; tongue pie ; chicken gumbo ; woodcocks roasted ; 
rice croquettes ; Columbus eggs ; onion custard ; mush- 
room omelet ; cauliflower omelet ; scolloped tomatoes ; 
baked egg-plant ; potatoe snow ; lima beans ; fried sweet 
potatoes ; mashed sweet potatoes — Cream cocoa-nut pud- 
ding ; chocolate pudding ; sweet omelet ; preserved pine- 
apple ; preserved citron-melon ; Spanish blanc-mange ; 
calves' feet jelly ; meringued apples ; orange-water ice ; 
peach ice-cream ; biscuit ice-cream. 

4. Winter. — Mock turtle soup ; oyster soup ; rock- 
fish stewed ; fresh cod-fish fried ; boiled ham ; baked 
tongue ; roast turkey with cranberry -jelly ; boiled turkey 
with oyster sauce ; roasted canvas-back ducks with cur- 
rant-jelly ; stewed canvas-back ducks ; partridges in 
pears ; salmi of partridges ; French oyster pie ; turnips ; 
potatoe snow ; winter-squash ; fried salsify ; fried celery ; 
onion custard — Plum pudding ; mince-pie ; charlotte 
polonaise ; charlotte russe ; calves' feet jelly ; pistachio 
cream ; cocoa-nut cream ; chocolate ice-cream ; orange 
ice-cream. 



TEA PARTIES.— Have black tea, green tea, and 
coffee. Immediately after the first cups are sent in, let 
fresh tea be put into the pots, that the second cups may 
not be weaker than the first. With the cream and sugar, 



TEA PARTIES. 391 

send round a small pot of boiling" water to weaken the 
tea of those who do not like it strong ; or for the conve- 
nience of ladies who drink only milk and water, and who 
otherwise may cause interruption and delay by sending 
out for it. When tea is handed round, it is not well to 
have hot cakes with it ; or any thing that is buttered, or 
any sort of greasy relishes. Such things are frequently 
injurious to the gloves and dresses of the ladies, and can 
well be dispensed with on these occasions. It is suffi- 
cient to send round a waiter with large cakes of the best 
sort, ready sliced but the slices not taken apart. There 
should be an almond sponge-cake for those who are un- 
willing to eat cakes made with butter. 

Immediately on tea being over, let the servants go 
round to all the company with waiters having pitchers 
of cold water and glasses, to prevent the inconvenience 
of ladies sending out for glasses of water. 

In less than an hour after tea, lemonade should be 
brought in, accompanied by baskets of small mixed cakes, 
(maccaroons, kisses, &c.,) which it is no longer cus- 
tomary to send in with the tea. Afterwards, let the 
blanc-mange, jellies, sweetmeats, ice-creams, wines, 
liquors, &c, be handed round. Next, (after an hour's 
interval,) the terrapin, oysters, and chicken salad, &c. 
These are sometimes accompanied by ale, porter, or 
cider ; sometimes by champagne. At the close of the 
evening, it is usual to send round a large plum-cake. 

If the plan is to have a regular supper table, it is not 
necessary to send in any refreshments through the even- 
ing, except lemonade and little cakes. 

When the company is not very numerous, and is to sit 
round a tea-table, waffles or other hot articles may there 
be introduced. Take care to set a tea-table that will 
certainly be large enough to accomodate all the guests 
without crowding them. 



392 the lady's receipt-book. 

SUPPER DISHES FOR A LARGE COMPANY. 

— *Boned turkey with jelly ; partridge pie ; game dressed 
in various ways ; cold ham glazed thickly all over with 
a mixture of bread-crumbs, cream, and yolk of egg ; two 
smoked tongues, one placed whole in the centre of the 
dish, the other cut into circular slices and laid round it ; 
cold alamode beef; French chicken salad ; Italian chicken 
salad ; marbled veal ; potted lobster ; pickJed lobster ; 
terrapins ; cream oysters ; fried oysters ; pickled oysters ; 
oyster patties; biscuit sandwiches; charlotte polonaise; 
charlotte russe ; French charlotte ; calves' feet jelly ; 
trifle ; Spanish blanc-mange ; chocolate blanc-mange ; 
coffee blanc-mange ; maccaroon blanc-mange ; vanilla 
blanc-mange ; pistachio cream ; cocoa-nut cream ; chocolate 
cream : vanilla cream ; lemon custards ; orange custards ; 
green custard ; red custard ; meringued apples ; whipt 
cream meringues ; iced grapes ; orange-water ice ; damson- 
water ice ; vanilla ice-cream ; lemon ice-cream ; almond 
ice-cream; chocolate ice-cream ; biscuit ice-cream; mac- 
caroon ice-cream ; preserved pine-apple ; preserved cit- 
ron-melon ; preserved limes ; preserved oranges ; brandy 
peaches ; brandy green gages ; port wine-jelly ; jfink 
champagne-jelly ; frozen punch, &c. ; plum-cake ; lady- 
cake ; almond sponge-cake ; frothed chocolate with dry 
toast. 

An elegant supper table may be decorated with a pro- 
fusion of real flowers tastefully disposed in pyramids and 
other forms ; or with the sugar temples, obelisks, pago- 
das, baskets, &c, made by the confectioners. Unless at 
a very large and splendid supper it is bad taste to intro- 
duce these sugar ornaments. 

* From these may be selected supper dishes for a small assem- 
blage, or for a company of moderate size. 



OYSTER SUPPERS. 393 

OYSTER SUPPERS.— It is customary at oyster sup- 
pers to have a great portion of the oysters roasted in the 
shell and brought in on large dishes "hot and hot." 
Near every two chairs should be placed a small bucket 
to receive the shells. An oyster knife, and a clean 
coarse towel must be laid beside every plate, for the pur- 
pose of opening the oysters ; an office that is usually 
performed by the gentlemen. The oysters should all be 
of the largest and best kind. Besides those that are 
roasted, there should be other dishes of them, fried, 
stewed, and pickled. Also, oysters in pies or patties ; — 
cold-slaw ; beets ; pickles ; and celery ; bread in the 
form of rolls ; and butter made up into handsome basket 
or pine-apple shapes. Ale and porter are frequently in- 
troduced at oyster suppers. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 



BUENA VISTA CAKE.— Put half a pound of pow- 
dered white sugar into a deep pan, and cut up in it half 
a pound of fresh butter. Stir them together hard, till 
perfectly light. Add a nutmeg powdered. (This cake 
should be highly-flavoured with nutmeg.) Beat four 
eggs in a shallow pan, till they are very thick and smooth. 
Then stir them, gradually, into the pan of beaten butter 
and sugar; in turn with three-quarters of a pound of 
sifted flour. Add a wine-glass of rose-water. Have 
ready three large wine-glasses of cream or rich milk, 
divided equally in two portions, and put into two cups. 
Take one yeast-powder, of the very best sort ; dissolve 
in one cup of the cream, the contents of the blue paper, 
(or the carbonate of soda,) and in the other cup the con- 
tents of the white paper, (tartaric acid,) and mix the first 
with the cake-batter; and then, immediately after, stir 
in the other, lightly and slowly. Transfer the batter to 
a large well-buttered square pan, and set it immediately 
into a brisk oven. Bake it steadily an hour, or more. 
If not thoroughly baked, it will be heavy. When cool, 
cut it into squares, and sift powdered sugar over it. It 
will be still better to ice it, adding rose-water or lemon- 
juice to the icing. It is best when fresh, the day it is 
baked ; though very good the following day. 

This cake will be found excellent, if the foregoing 
directions are exactly followed. If wanhd fresh for tea, 

395 



396 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

at a short notice, it can be made and "baked in two hours. 
For instance, if commenced at five o'clock in the after- 
noon it may be on the table at seven. The above quan- 
tity of ingredients will make enough to fill a large cake- 
basket. 

If you wish to have a large Buena Vista cake baked 
in a loaf, take double the above quantity of ingredients, 
viz., one pound of butter, one pound of powdered sugar, 
a pound and a half of flour; eight eggs, two nutmegs, 
and two wine-glasses of rose water ; six wine-glasses of 
cream or milk, and two yeast-powders; that is, two of 
the blue papers and two of the white. Put the mixture 
into a circular pan, and setting it directly in a brisk oven 
bake it from four to five hours in proportion to its thick- 
ness, keeping up a steady heat all the time. When done, 
ice and ornament it; flavouring the icing with rose or 
lemon. One of the decorations should be the words 
Buena Vista. 

All cakes that have milk or cream in them require 
longer baking than those that have not ; and the heat of 
the oven must be well kept up. 

YEAST-POWDERS.— Get at a druggist's a pound 
of super-carbonate of soda, and three-quarters of a pound 
of tartaric acid. Both these articles must be of the very 
best quality. Prepare an equal number of square blue 
papers, and square white papers ; nicely folded. To be 
very accurate, weigh the articles alternately. In every 
blue paper put a hundred grains of the super-carbonate 
of soda, and in each white paper ninety grains of tartaric 
acid ; and then fold them up so as to secure their con- 
tents. If you have not suitable scales and weights, you 
may guess tolerably well at the proportions of the arti- 
cles by measuring a full tea-spoonful of the soda for each 
blue paper, and three-quarters of a tea-spoonful of the 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 397 

acid for each white paper. Put them up in boxes, and 
keep them in a dry place. The contents of one blue 
paper and of one white paper are considered as one yeast- 
powder ; half the contents of each paper are called half 
a yeast-powder. 

Yeast-powders of themselves have not sufficient power 
to raise bread or cakes so as to make them light enough 
to be wholesome. They should only be employed when 
real yeast ; or eggs, are also used. Then they add greatly 
to the lightness of the cake. They are also an improve- 
ment to batter puddings. They must always be added 
at the last. 

To use them, dissolve first the soda in a wine-glass and 
a half of milk or lukewarm water, and when thoroughly 
melted, stir it into the batter. Then melt in another cup 
the acid, with a similar quantity of milk or water, and 
stir it in at the last. 

These powders entirely destroy the flavour of lemon or 
orange-juice. But they will convert sour milk into sweet. 
A yeast-powder added to buckwheat batter that has al- 
ready been raised by real yeast, will render it surpris- 
ingly light. One blue and one white powder will suffice 
for two quarts of batter. 



FINE WAFER CAKES.— Wash and squeeze half a 
pound of fresh butter in a pan of cold water. Then take 
it out, and cut it up in another pan, into which you have 
sifted half a pound of p'owdered white sugar ; and stir 
them together with a spaddle (a round stick flattened at 
one end) till they are very light and creamy. Then stir 
in half a grated nutmeg, a small tea-spoonful of powdered 
mace, a glass of sherry or Madeira, and a glass of rose or 
lemon brandy. Put the whites of four eggs into a deep 
plate, beat them to a stiff froth with a whisk, and add 
the beaten white of eggs gradually to the mixture. 
34 



398 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

Lastly, stir in as much sifted flour as will make a light 
soft dough or paste. Divide it into equal portions ; flour 
your hands, and roll each portion in your palms till it 
becomes round like a small dumpling. Then having 
heated the wafer-iron, butter the inside, and put in one 
of the dumplings, making it to fit well. Put the wafer- 
iron into a clear hot fire, and bake each cake five minutes. 
When done, take them out carefully and lay them sepa- 
rately on an inverted sieve to cool. 

This mixture may be more easily baked in thin flat 
cakes. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet, and then 
cut it into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler, or 
with a tin cutter of that circumference. Butter large 
square iron pans, and lay the cakes in them, but not so 
close as to touch. Put them into a quick oven, and bake 
them brown. 

LANCASTER GINGERBREAD.— Cut up a quarter 
of a pound of fresh butter into two pounds of sifted flour; 
rub it well in, and add a small teacup of ground ginger, 
and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Stir in a pint 
and a half of West India molasses, and milk enough to 
make it into a thick batter. Lastly, add a tea-spoonful 
of soda dissolved in' a little tepid water ; and immediately 
after dissolve in another cup a salt-spoonful of tartaric 
acid, and stir that in. Stir the whole very hard. But- 
ter square pans, put into them the mixture, and bake it- 
well ; seeing that the oven is not so hot as to scorch it. 
It requires very long baking. When cool, cut it into 
squares. 

Never put allspice into gingerbread or any other cake. 
It communicates a disagreeably bitter taste, Allspice is 
now rarely used for any purpose ; cloves being far better. 
Either of them will considerably darken the colour of the 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 399 

WARM ICING FOR CAKES.— Beat to a stiff froth 
the whites of four eggs ; then heat into them, gradually, 
(a spoonful at a time,) a pound of finely-powdered loaf- 
sugar. Next put the beaten white of egg and sugar into 
a very clean porcelain-lined kettle, (or something that 
will not discolour it,) and boil and skim it till the scum 
ceases to rise. Then remove it from the fire ; and while 
it is warm, stir in the juice of two large' lemons or 
oranges, or a tea-spoonful of extract of roses, or a wine- 
glass of rose-water, or a large table-spoonful of extract of 
vanilla. Have ready your cake, which must first be 
dredged with flour all over, and the flour wiped off with 
a clean cloth. This will make the icing stick. With a 
epoon, place a large portion of the warm icing on the 
centre of the top of the cake ; and then with a broad- 
bladed knife, (dipped now and then into a bowl of cold 
water) spread it thick and evenly all over the surface. 
When done, let it dry gradually. It is best that the 
cake, when iced, should be warm from the oven. 

This warm icing is now much in use. It spreads 
easily; rises up high and thick in cooling; and has a 
fine gloss on the surface. 

To give it a fine red or pink colour, use cochineal. 
For green colouring, pound in a mortar some raw spi- 
nach till you have extracted a tea-cup full of green juice. 
Put the juice into a very clean porcelain or earthen pan, 
set it over the fire, and give it one boil up, (not more,) 
and when cold it will be fit for use. This is the best way 
of preparing green colouring for all culinary purposes. 



CINNAMON BREAD.— On a bread-baking day, (hav- 
ing made more than your usual quantity of wheat bread,) 
when the dough has risen quite light, so as to be cracked 
all over the surface, take out as much as would suffice 
for a moderate-sized loaf, (for instance, a twelve-cent one,) 



400 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

and make it into a large round cake. Having dissolved a 
yeast-powder in two separate cups in a little lukewarm 
water, the carbonate of soda in one cup ; and the tartaric 
acid in another, mix the first with the dough of the cake, 
and then mix in the second. Have ready a half-pint of 
brown sugar, moistened with fresh butter, so as to make 
it a thick stiff paste, and flavoured with a heaping table- 
spoonful of powdered cinnamon. Make deep cuts or 
incisions, at equal spaces, over the cake, and fill them 
with the above mixture, pressed in hard; and pinch the 
dough with your thumb and finger, so as to close up each 
cut, to prevent the seasoning from running out. Set it 
immediately into the oven with the other bread, and bake 
it thoroughly. When cool, brush it over with white of 
egg, in which some sugar has been melted. 

This is an excellent plain cake for children, and can 
be prepared any bread-baking day. 

It is much improved by mixing with the dough two 
large heaped table-spoonfuls of butter that has been 
melted in a teacup of warm milk, and also one or two 
beaten eggs. Do this before you add the yeast-powder. 



SNOW CREAM.— Take a large pint of very rich 
cream, and half a pound of the best loaf-sugar, powdered. 
Hub off, on a lump of sugar, the yellow rind of three 
large lemons or oranges, (or, four or five, if small;) scrap- 
ing it off the sugar with a teaspoon as you proceed, and 
transferring it to a saucer. Then powder this lump of 
sugar, and add it to the rest. Mix with the sugar the 
juice of the fruit, and the grated rind; and then mix the 
whole with two quarts of clean snow, in a broad pan. 
Set the pan into a tub, and pack it closely all round with 
coarse salt and snow; taking care that they do not quite 
reach to the edge of the pan, lest some of the salt should 
get in, and spoil the whole. While packed in the snow 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 401 

and salt, beat the mixture very hard till it is smooth and 
stiff. Then set it on ice, or in a very cold place, till 
wanted for use. Turn it out into a glass bowl. 

This is a good and easy way of imitating ice-cream in 
families that are not provided with the regular apparatus 
of a freezer and moulds. The pint of cream must be very 
rich, and the flavouring very high. All flavouring loses 
much strength in freezing. 

You may flavour it with vanilla, by boiling a vanilla 
bean in half a pint of milk, till the vanilla taste is well 
infused. Then strain the milk, and mix it with the 
cream. Or, instead of vanilla, you may boil in the milk 
a handful of shelled bitter almonds, or peach-kernels, to 
be afterwards strained out. 



LEMON HONEY.— -Take three large ripe lemons, (or 
four or five small ones,) and (having rolled them under 
your hand on a table, to increase the juice,) rub off on a 
piece of loaf-sugar the yellow rind or zest, scraping it up 
with a teaspoon as you proceed, and putting it aside on a 
saucer. Then squeeze the juice of the lemons through 
a strainer, upon a pound of loaf-sugar, (broken small or 
powdered,) and add the zest or grated rind. Cut up, 
among the sugar, a large quarter of a pound of the best 
fresh butter. Break six eggs into a shallow earthen pan, 
and beat them till as light as possible. Then mix in, 
gradually, the sugar and lemon, stirring all very hard. 
Put the whole into a porcelain-lined kettle; set it over 
a moderate fire that has no blaze, and (stirring it all the 
time) let it boil till it becomes of the consistence of very 
thick honey. If the weather is warm, you may add to its 
thickness by stirring in a table-spoonful of ground arrow- 
root, or of sifted flour. When done, put it warm into 
glass jars; cover them closely, and seal the covers. It 
31* 



402 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

will keep in a cool dry place a month or more. If made 
in winter, it will continue good for two months. 



ORANGrE HONEY is made as above, except that you 
must have five or six oranges, all of the largest size, 
using the juice only and none of the rind. Orange peel 
will give it an unpleasant taste after it has been kept a 
few days. 

RAISIN CURRANTS.—Strip as many ripe currants 
from the stems as will fill a quart measure when done. 
Put them into a porcelain-lined kettle; mash them, and 
add three quarters of a pound of sugar — brown will do. 
Prepare three quarters of a pound of the largest and best 
raisins, washed, drained, seeded, and cut in half. Or, 
use the small sultana or seedless raisins. When the cur- 
rants and sugar have come to a boil, and been skimmed, 
mix in the raisins, gradually, and let them boil till quite 
soft; skimming the surface well; and after each skim- 
ming stir the whole down to the bottom of the kettle. 
"When done, take it up in a deep dish, and set it to cool. 
This is a nice, plain dessert. 

For a larger quantity, take two quarts of stripped cur- 
rants; a pound and a half of sugar; and a pound and a 
half of raisins. None but raisins of the best quality 
should be used for this or any other purpose. Low- 
priced raisins are unwholesome, being always of bad 
quality. 



CURRANT-RAISIN JAM.— Wash, drain, seed, and 
chop fine two pounds of the best bloom or muscatel raisins, 
and put them into a large pan till wanted. Having 
stripped them from the stems, squeeze through a linen 
bag into a large bowl as many ripe currants as will yield 
three quarts of juice. Sweeten this juice with two pounds 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 403 

and a half of sugar. Having put the minced raisins into 
a preserving kettle, pour the currant-juice over them ; and 
give the whole a. hard stirring. Set it over the fire, and 
boil and skim it, (stirring it down after skimming,) till 
it is thoroughly done, forming a thick smooth jam or 
marmalade. When cool, put it into jars. Cork them 
closely, covering the corks with paper tied down over the 
top, and set them away in a dry place. It is an excel- 
lent jam for common use, and very nice with cream. 

TO KEEP PINE-APPLES, WITHOUT COOKINQ. 

— Take large fine pine-apples — the ripest you can procure 
Pare and slice them thin, removing the hard core from 
the centre. Weigh the slices, and to each pound allow a 
pound of double-refined powdered loaf-sugar. Spread 
the slices on large flat dishes, with a layer of sugar both 
under and over them. Let them stand several hours; 
then put them up (without any cooking) in large glass 
tumblers, with the syrup that has issued from them; and 
put a thick layer of sugar at the top of each tumblerful. 
Cover the glasses closely, and tie a piece of bladder over 
each. 

If the sugar is of the best quality, and the pine-apples 
ripe and without blemishes, they will keep perfectly well, 
done as above, and retain the flavour of the fruit better 
than when cooked. They must be kept in a dry cool 

place. 

— • — 

FINE PINE-APPLE MARMALADE.— Take pine- 
apples of large size, and as ripe as possible. Having 
removed the green leaves, cut each pine-apple (without 
paring) into four quarters; and then, with a large coarse 
tin grater, grate them down as near the rind as you can 
go. Do this in a large dish, carefully saving the juice. 
Then weigh the grated pine-apple, and to every pound 



404 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

allow three large quarters of a pound of the best double- 
refined loaf-sugar, finely powdered. Too much sugar will; 
after boiling, cause the marmalade to candy in the jars. 
Mix with the sugar the pine-apple and all its juice, and 
put them into a preserving kettle over a moderate, but 
very clear, fire. Boil them slowly together, skimming 
them when necessary, and frequently stirring them up 
from the bottom with a silver spoon. Let them boil till 
they become a very thick smooth mass, of a fine gold 
colour. Put the marmalade warm into glass jars. Lay 
upon the surface a double tissue paper, cut circular, 
and fitting exactly; then cover the jars, and tie a piece 
of bladder over each. 

Instead of grating the pine-apple, you may pare, core, 
and cut it into small thin pieces; but it will require a 
longer time to boil, and will be less smooth and beautiful. 
With a coarse grater the trouble is not much. 

MELON MARMALADE.— Take fine large citron 
melons, and cut them into quarters, having removed the 
seeds. Weigh the pieces, and to every pound allow a 
pound of the best double-refined loaf-sugar. To every 
three pounds of melon allow two lemons, and a tea-spoon- 
ful of ground white ginger. Then grate the melon slices 
on a coarse grater, but not too close to the rind. Grate off 
the yellow rind of the lemons, and add it with the ginger 
to the sugar, which must be finely powdered. Then mix 
the whole with the grated melons in a preserving kettle. 
Set it over a moderate fire, and boil, skim, and stir it till 
it is a very thick smooth jam. Put it warm into glass 
jars, or large tumblers; lay a double round of tissue 
paper on the surface of the marmalade ; cover the jars 
ulosely, and tie a piece of bladder over each. 

Pumpkin marmalade may be made in the above man- 
ner, omitting the ginger. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 405 

TOMATO MAKMALADE.— Take large fully-ripe 
tomatoes, and scald them in hot water, so that the skins 
can be easily peeled off. Weigh the tomatoes; and to 
every pound, allow a pound of the best sugar ; to every 
three pounds, two lemons and a small tea-spoonful of 
ground ginger. G-rate off the yellow rind of the lemons, 
and mix it with the sugar and ginger ; then add their 
juice. Put the tomatoes into a preserving kettle, and 
mash them with the back of a wooden ladle. Then mix 
in the sugar, &c, stirring the whole very hard. k Set the 
kettle over a moderate fire, and boil it very slowly for 
three hours, till it is a smooth mass, skimming it well ; 
and stirring it to the bottom after each skimming. 

This is an excellent sweet-meat; and as the lemon 
must on no account be omitted, it should be made when 
lemons are plenty. The best time is the month of Au- 
gust, as lemons are then to be had in abundance, and the 
tomatoes are less watery than in the autumn months. 
For children it may be made with brown sugar, and with 
less lemon and more ginger. Like all preparations of 
tomato it is very wholesome. 



YANKEE APPLE PUDDING.— Butter the bottom 
and inside of a deep tin pan. Pare, core, and quarter 
six or eight large, fine, juicy apples ; and strew among 
them a heaped half-pint or more of broken sugar. Dis- 
solve a tea-spoonful either of soda, sal-eratus, or pearl- 
ash, in a pint of sour milk. The soda will take off 
entirely the acid of the milk, and render the whole very 
light, Stir the milk, and pour it among the apples. 
Have ready a good pie-crust, rolled out thick. Lay it 
over the top of the pan of apples, &c. ; trim the edge 
nicely, and notch it neatly. Put the pudding into a hot 
oven, and bake it brown. It will require at least an hour, 
or more, according to its depth. Eat it warm. 



406 ADDITIONAL KECEIPTS. 

This is a good plain family pudding. A similar one 
may be made of peaches ; pared, stoned, and quartered. 

*FILET GUMBO.— Cut up a pair of fine plump fowls 
into pieces, as when carving. Lay them in a pan of cold 
water, till all the blood is drawn out. Put into a pot, 
two large table-spoonfuls of lard, and set it over the fire. 
When the lard has come to a boil, put in the chickens 
with an onion finely minced. Dredge them well with 
flour, and season slightly with salt and pepper ) and, if 
you like it, a little chopped marjoram. Pour on it two 
quarts of boiling water. Cover it, and let it simmer 
slowly for three hours. Then stir into it two heaped 
tea-spoonfuls of sassafras powder. Afterwards, let it 
stew five or six minutes longer, and then send it to table 
in a deep dish ; having a dish of boiled rice to be eaten 
with it by those who like rice. 

This gumbo will be much improved by stewing with it 
three or four thin slices of cold boiled ham, in which case 
omit the salt in the seasoning. Whenever cold ham is 
an ingredient in any dish, no other salt is required. 

A dozen fresh oysters and their liquor, added to the 
stew about half an hour before it is taken up, will also 
be an improvement. 

If you cannot conveniently obtain sassafras-powder, 
stir the gumbo frequently with a stick of sassafras root. 

This is a genuine southern receipt. Filet gumbo may 
be made of any sort of poultry, or of veal, lamb, venison, 
or kid. 



FINE CABBAGE SOUP.— Take a fine large cab- 
bage, and, after removing the outside leaves, and cutting 
the stalk short, divide the cabbage into quarters, more 

* Pronounced Fee?ay. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 407 

than half way down, hut not quite to the stem. Lay the 
cahhage in cold water for half an hour or more. Then 
set it over the fire in a pot full of boiling water, and let 
it boil for an hour and a half, skimming it frequently. 
Then take it out, drain it, and laying it in a deep pan, 
pour on cold water, and let the cabbage remain in it till 
cold all through. Next (having drained it from the cold 
water) cut the cabbage into shreds or small pieces, and 
put it into a clean pot containing three pints of rich boil- 
ing milk, into which you have stirred a quarter of a 
pound of the best fresh butter ; adding a very little salt 
and pepper. Boil it in the milk about two hours, or till 
thoroughly done, and quite tender. Then cut up some 
pieces of bread into small squares. Lay them in a tureen, 
and pour the soup upon them. 

This, being made without meat, is an excellent soup 
for Lent or fast-days. 

It is still better when cauliflowers or brocoli are sub- 
stituted for cabbage ; adding a few blades of mace, or 
some grated nutmeg. 

EXCELLENT PICKLED CABBAGE.— Shred very 
fine, with a cabbage-cutter, a large fresh red cabbage. 
Pack it down (with a little salt sprinkled between each 
layer) in a large stone jar. The jar should be three 
parts full of the shred cabbage. Then tie up, in a bag 
of very thin clean muslin, two table-spoonfuls of whole 
black pepper ; the same quantity of cloves ; and the same 
of cinnamon, broken very small, but not powdered. Also 
a dozen blades of mace. Put two quarts of the best cider- 
vinegar into a porcelain-lined kettle ) throw in the bag 
of spices, and boil it. Five minutes after it has come to 
a hard boil, take out the bag of spice, and pour the 
vinegar hot over the cabbage in the jar; stirring it up 
from the bottom, so that the vinegar may get all through 



408 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

the cabbage. Then lay the bag of spice on the top, and 
while the pickle is hot, cover the jar closely. It will be 
fit for use in two days. 

If you find, after awhile, that the pickle tastes too 
much of the spice, remove the spice-bag. 

You may pickle white cabbage in the same way; omit- 
ting the cloves, and boiling in the vinegar a second 
muslin bag, with three ounces of turmeric, which will 
give the cabbage a fine bright yellow colour. Having 
put up the cabbage into the jar, lay the turmeric-bag 
half way down, and the spice-bag on the top. But the 
turmeric-bag need not be put into the jar if the vinegar 
has sufficiently coloured the cabbage. '? 

Small onions may be pickled, as above, with turmeric. 
Always, in preparing onions, for any purpose, peel off 
the thin outer skin. 



MADEIRA HAM.— fake a ham of the very finest 
sort ; a Westphalia one, if you can obtain it. Soak it in 
water all day and all night ; changing the water several 
times. A Westphalia ham should be soaked two days 
and nights. Early in the morning of the day it is to be 
cooked, put it over the fire in a large pot, and boil it four 
hours, skimming it well. Then take it out ; remove the 
skin, and put the ham into a clean boiler, with sufficient 
Madeira wine to cover it well. Boil, or rather stew it 
an hour longer, keeping the pot covered, except when 
you remove the lid to turn the ham. When well stewed 
take it up, drain it, and strain the liquor into a porcelain- 
lined saucepan. Have ready a sufficiency of powdered 
white sugar. Cover the ham all over with a thick coat- 
ing of the sugar, and set it into a hot oven to bake for 
an hour. 

Mix some orange or lemon-juice with the liquor, add- 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 409 

ing sugar and nutmeg. Give it one boil up over the fire, 
and serve it up in a tureen, as sauce to the ham. - 

What is left of the ham may be cut next day into 
thin slices, put into a stew-pan, with the remains of the 
liquor or sauce poured over it, and stewed for a quarter 
of an hour. Serve it up all together in the same dish. 
Instead of Madeira you may use champagne. Bottled 
cider is also a good substitute. 

Fresh- venison, pheasants, partridges, grouse, or any 
other game, (also canvas-back ducks,) cut up and stewed 
with a mixture of Madeira wine, orange, or lemon-juice, 
sugar, nutmeg, and a little butter will be found very fine. 
The birds should first be half roasted, and the gravy 
saved to add to the stew. 

NEW WAY OF DRESSING TERRAPINS.— In 

buying terrapins, select those only that are large, fat, and 
thick-bodied. Put them whole into water that is boiling 
hard at the time, and (adding a little salt) boil them till 
thoroughly done throughout. Then, taking off the shell, 
extract the meat, and remove carefully the sand-bag and 
gall ; also all the entrails. They are disgusting, unfit to 
eat, and are no longer served up in cooking terrapin for 
the best tables. Cut the meat into pieces, and put it 
into a stew-pan with its eggs, and sufficient fresh butter 
to stew it well. Let it stew till quite hot throughout, 
keeping the pan carefully covered that none of the flavour 
may escape; but shake it over the fire while stewing. 
In another pan, make a sauce of beaten yolk of egg, 
highly flavoured with Madeira or sherry, and powdered 
nutmeg and mace, and enriched with a large lump of 
fresh butter. Stir this sauce well over the fire, and 
when it has almost come to a boil, take it off. Send the 
terrapin to table hot in a covered dish, and the sauce 
separately in a sauce-tureen, to be used by those who 



410 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

like it, and omitted by those who prefer the genuine 
flavour of the terrapin when simply stewed with butter. 

This is now the usual mode of dressing terrapins in 
Maryland and Virginia, and will be found superior to 
any other. 

No dish of terrapins can be good unless the terrapins 
themselves are of the best quality. It is mistaken eco- 
nomy to buy poor ones. Besides being insipid and taste- 
less, it takes more in number to fill a dish. The females 
are the best. 

A TERRAPIN POT-PIE.— Take several fine large 
terrapins, the fattest and thickest you can get. Put them 
into a large pot of water that is boiling hard ; and boil 
them half an hour or more. Then take them out of the 
shell, pulling off the outer skin and the toe-nails. Remove 
the sand-bag and the gall, taking care not to break it, or 
it will render the whole too bitter to be eaten. Take out 
also the entrails, and throw them away ; as the custom 
of cooking them is now, very properly, exploded. Then 
cut up all the meat of the terrapins, taking care to save 
all the liquid that exudes in cutting up, and also the 
eggs, Season the whole with pepper, mace, and nutmeg, 
adding a little salt ; and lay among it pieces of fresh 
butter slightly rolled in flour. 

Have ready an ample quantity of paste, made in the 
proportion of a pound of butter to two large quarts (or 
pounds) of flour, or a pound and a half of butter to three 
quarts of flour, and rolled out thick. Butter the inside 
of an iron pot, and line the sides with paste, till it reaches 
within one-third of the top. Then put in the pieces of 
terrapin, with the eggs, butter, &c, and with all the 
liquid. Lay among the terrapin, square pieces of paste. 
Then pour in sufficient water to stew the whole properly. 
Next, cover all with a circular lid, or top-crust of paste. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 411 

but do not fit it so closely that the gravy cannot "bubble 
up over the edges while cooking. Cut a slit in the top- 
crust. Place the pot-pie over a good fire, and boil it till 
the whole is thoroughly done, which will be from three- 
quarters to an hour, (after it comes to a boil;) taking care 
not to let it get too dry, but keeping a kettle of hot water 
to replenish it if necessary. When done, take it up in a 
deep dish, and serve it hot. Then let every one add 
what seasoning they choose. 

It may be much improved by mixing among the pieces 
of terrapin (before putting them into the pie) some yolks 
of hard-boiled eggs, grated or minced. They will enrich 

the gravy. 

— * — 

A BEEF-STEAK POT-PIE.— Take a sufficiency of 
tender beef-steaks from the sirloin, removing all the fat 
and bone. Season them slightly with pepper and salt ; 
adding also some nutmeg. Put them into a pot with 
plenty of water, and par-boil them. Meanwhile, make a 
large portion of paste, (a pot-pie with but little paste is 
no better than a mere stew,) and roll it out thick. If 
you use suet for shortening, allow to every two quarts or 
two pounds of flour a large half-pound of suet, divested 
of the skin and strings, and minced as finely as possible 
with a chopping-knife. Sprinkle in a Very little salt. 
Mix the suet with the flour in a large pan, rubbing it 
fine with your hands, and adding gradually sufficient cold 
water to make a stiff dough. Then transfer the lump of 
dough to the paste-board; knead it well with your hands; 
and beat it hard on all sides with the rolling-pin. Next 
roll it out into sheets. Line the sides of a pot with a 
portion of the dough. Then put in the beef; adding for 
gravy the liquid in which it was boiled, and a little hot 
water. Also^ some potatoes sliced or quartered. Inter- 
sperse the meat with square slices of paste. Finish by 



412 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

covering it with a lid of paste, having a slit in the top : 
but do not fit the lid too closely. Then placing the pot 
over the fire, let it boil from three-quarters to an hour, 
(after it conies to a boil,) replenishing it, if necessary, 
with more hot water. This will be found an excellent 
family dish. 

CHICKEN POT-PIE.— Cut up, and par-boil a pair 
of large fowls, seasoning them with pepper, salt, and nut- 
meg. You may add some small slices of cold ham ; in 
which case add no salt, as the ham will make it salt 
enough. Or you may put in some pieces of the lean of 
fresh pork. You may prepare a suet-paste ; but for a 
chicken pot-pie it is best to make the paste of butter, 
which should be fresh, and of the best quality. Allow 
to each quart of flour, a small half-pound of butter. 
There should be enough for a great deal of paste. Line 
the sides of the pot, two-thirds up, with paste. Put in 
the chickens, with the liquor in which they were par- 
boiled. You may add some sliced potatoes. Intersperse 
the pieces of chicken with layers of paste in square slices. 
Then cover the whole with a lid of paste, not fitting very 
closely. Make a slit in the top, and boil the pie about 
an hour or more. 

Instead of ham, you may add some clams to the chick- 
en, omitting salt in the seasoning, as the clams will salt 
it quite enough. 



BROILED MUSHROOMS.— Take the largest and 
finest fresh mushrooms. Peel them, and cut off the 
stems as closely as possible. Lay the mushrooms on 
their backs, upon a large flat dish ; and into the hollow 
or cup of each put a piece of fresh butter, and season it 
with a little black pepper. Set a clean gridiron over a 
bed of clear hot coals, and when it is well heated, put on 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 413 

the mushrooms, and broil them thoroughly. The grid- 
iron should be one with grooved bars, so as to retain the 
gravy. "When the first gridiron-full of mushrooms is well 
broiled, put them with their liquor into a hot dish, and 
keep them closely covered while the rest are broiling. 
This is an excellent way of cooking mushrooms. 



AN EASY WAY TO PICKLE MUSHROOMS.— 
.Take two quarts of small freshly-gathered mushrooms. 
With a sharp-pointed knife peel off, carefully, their thin 
outside skin; and cut off the stalks closely. Prepare 
eight little bags of very thin clear muslin, and tie up in 
each bag six blades of mace ; six slices of root-ginger ; 
and a small nutmeg (or half a large one) broken small, 
but not powdered. Have ready four glass jars, such as 
are considered to hold a quart. Lay a bag of spice in 
the bottom of each; then put in a pint of the mush- 
rooms, laying a second bag of spice on the top. Have 
ready a sufficiency of the best cider-vinegar, very slightly 
seasoned with salt; allowing to each quart of vinegar 
but a salt-spoon of salt. Fill up the jars with the vinegar, 
finishing at the top with two table-spoonfuls of sweet oil. 
Immediately close up the jars, corking them tightly; and 
pasting thick paper, or tying a piece of leather or blad- 
der closely down over the corks. 

These mushrooms will be found very fine ; and as they 
require no cooking, are speedily and easily prepared. 
When a jar is once opened, it will be well to use them 
fast. They may be put up in small jars, or in glass 
tumblers, such as hold but a pint altogether; seeing 
that the proportions of spice in each jar or tumbler 
are duly divided, as above. Keep them in a very dry 
place. 

If you wish the mushrooms to be of a dark eolour 
when pickled, add half a dozen cloves to each bag of 
35* 



414 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

spice; but the clove-taste will most likely overpower 

that of the mushrooms. On no account omit the oil. 

If you cannot obtain button-mushrooms, cut large ones 

into four quarters, first peeling them and removing the 

stems. 

— « — 

BREAKFAST ROLLS.— These rolls must be mixed 
the night before, near bed-time. Sift three quarts of 
flour into a deep pan, and cut up into it a half-pint cup- 
full (or a quarter of a pound) of fresh butter. Rub the 
butter with your hands into the flour till thoroughly in- 
corporated, and add a very small tea-spoonful of salt. 
Make a hole in the middle of the flour, and pour in four 
large table-spoonfuls of excellent yeast. Have ready 
sufficient warm milk ; a pint will generally be enough, 
(heated but not boiling,) to make it into a light dough. 
Add the milk gradually; and then knead the dough. 
Put it into a pan, cover it with a clean thick cloth, and 
set it in a warm place. Early in the morning, add to 
the dough a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash or sal-eratus, 
or a large tea-spoonful of soda, dissolved in a little warm 
water. Mix it well in, and knead the dough over again. 
Then divide it into equal portions, and make each por- 
tion into an oval-shaped roll. Draw a deep mark along 
the top-surface of each with a knife. Put them into a 
hot oven, and bake them brown. 

If intended for tea, mix them in the forenoon ; and 
previous to baking, make out the dough into round 
cakes, pricking them with a fork. 



BUCKWHEAT BATTER PUDDING.— Mix early 
in the day, a quart of buckwheat meal with a large tea- 
cup full of Indian meal or of wheat flour ; and add a tea- 
spoonful of salt. Have ready some water, warm but not 
boiling; and stir it gradually into the pan of meal till it 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 415 

makes a thick batter. Then add two large table-spoon- 
fuls of fresh strong yeast from the brewer's. Of home- 
made yeast you will require three or four spoonfuls. 
Stir the whole very hard ; cover the pan and set it near 
the fire to rise. When quite light, and covered with 
bubbles, melt a small tea-spoonful of soda or pearl-ash in 
a little warm water, and stir it into the batter. This, 
added to the yeast, will make the mixture light enough 
for a pudding without eggs. Have ready on the fire, a 
pot of boiling water. Dip in the pudding-cloth, then 
shake it out, spread it into a bread pan, and dredge it 
with flour. Pour the batter into the cloth as soon as 
you have added the soda, and tie it tightly, leaving a 
vacancy of about one-third, to allow for the swelling of 
the pudding. Put it into the pot while the water is boil- 
ing hard, and boil the pudding fast during an hour or 
more; buckwheat meal requiring much less time than 
indian or wheat. While boiling, turn the pudding seve- 
ral times in the water. When done, turn it out on a 
dish, and send it to table hot. Eat it with butter and 
sugar, or molasses. 

This is a good plain pudding ; but the batter must be 
perfectly light before it is tied up in the cloth; and if 
the water boils away, replenish the pudding-pot with 
boiling water from a kettle. To put cold water into a 
boiling pot will most certainly spoil whatever pudding is 
cooking in it, rendering it heavy, flat, and unfit to eat. 

If you intend having buckwheat cakes at breakfast, 
and this pudding at dinner, mix at once sufficient batter 
for both purposes, adding the soda at the last, just before 
you put the pudding into the cloth. 

Yeast-powders will be still better than soda ; real yeast 
having previously been used when first mixing the bat- 
ter. To use yeast-powders, dissolve the contents of the 
blue paper (super-carbonate of soda) in a little warm 



416 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

water, and stir it into the batter. Then, directly after, 
melt in another cup the powder from the white paper, 
(tartaric acid,) and stir that in also. 



BUCKWHEAT PORKIDGE.— Boil a quart of rich 
milk, and when it has come to a hard boil, stir in, gradu- 
ally, as much buckwheat meal as will make it of the con- 
sistence of very thick mush, adding a tea-spoon of salt, 
(not more,) and a table-spoonful of fresh butter. Five 
minutes after it is thick enough, remove it from the fire. 
If the milk is previously boiling hard, and continues to 
boil while the meal is going in, but little more cooking 
will be necessary. 

Send it to table hot, and eat it with butter and sugar, 
or with molasses and butter. 

This is sometimes called a Five Minute Pudding, from 
its being made so soon. It is very good for children, as 
a plain dessert ; or for supper. 

Before it goes to table, you may season it with pow- 
dered ginger, or nutmeg. 

— • — 

APPLE TAPIOCA.— Take a quart bowl, and half 
fill it with tapioca : then fill it very nearly to the top 
with cold water, allowing a little space for the tapioca to 
swell in soaking. Cover it, and let it stand all night. 
In the morning, pare and core six or eight fine pippin or 
bell-flower apples. Put them into a preserving kettle; 
filling up the holes .from whence the cores were extracted 
with powdered sugar, and the grated yellow rind of one 
large lemon, or two small ones; and also the juice. 
Stew among the apples additional sugar, so as to make 
them agreeably sweet. Add about half enough of water 
to cover them. This will be sufficient to keep them from 
burning. Stew them gently till about half done ; turn- 
ing them carefully several times. Then put in the tapi- 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 417 

oca, and let it simmer with them till perfectly clear, and 
the apples are tender and well done throughout ; but not 
long enough for them to break and fall to pieces. The 
tapioca will form a fine clear jelly all round the apples. 

This is a nice dessert for children. And also, cooling 
and nourishing for invalids. 

Quinces may be done in the same manner. They re- 
quire more cooking than apples. For quinces, it is best 
to use, as flavouring, the grated yellow rind, and the juice 

of very ripe oranges. 

— ♦ — 

TERRA FIRMA.— Take a piece of rennet about four 
inches square, and wash it in two or,.three cold waters to 
get off all the salt. Then wipe it dry, put it into a cup, 
and pour on sufiicient lukewarm water to cover it well. 
Let it stand four or five hours, or all night. Then stir 
the rennet-water into three pints of rich "unskimmed milk, 
flavoured with rose or peach-water. Cover the pan of 
milk, and set it on the hearth near the fire, till it forms 
a very firm curd. Then take it out, (draining off the 
whey,) put it into a clean sieve, (under which set a pan 
to receive the droppings,) and with the back of a broad 
flat wooden ladle, press all the remaining whey out of the 
curd. Next put the mass of curd into a deep bowl to 
mould it ; and set it on ice till tea-time. Then transfer 
it to a deep glass bowl or dish, and pour all round it 
some cream sweetened well with sugar, and flavoured 
with rose or peach like the curd. On the curd lay circles 
of small sweetmeats, such as preserved strawberries, rasp- 
berries, or gooseberries. You may add to the cream that 
is to surround it, white wine and nutmeg. 



TO USE COLD PUDDING.— If you have a large 
piece of boiled pudding left after dinner, (such as plum 
pudding, indian pudding, or batter pudding,) and you 



418 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

wish to cook it next day, tie it up in a cloth, and put it 
into a pot of boiling water, and keep it boiling hard for 
half an hour or more. It will be found as good as on 
the first day, and perhaps rather better j and it will be 
far more palatable, as well as more wholesome than if 
sliced, and fried, or broiled. Eat it with the same sauce 
as on the preceding day. 

TO KEEP EGGS. — Break some glue into pieces, and 
boil it in sufficient water to make a thin solution. While 
warm, dip a brush into it, and go carefully over every 
egg. They must all be quite fresh. When the eggs are 
thoroughly glazed with the glue, spread them out to dry. 
When quite dry r pack them in kegs or boxes, with dry 
wood-ashes or saw-dust, (of which there must be a plenti- 
ful portion,) putting a thick layer of the ashes or saw-dust 
at the bottom and top of the keg. This is an excellent 
way of keeping eggs for sea-voyages, and is well worth 
the trouble. Before using them, soak them in warm 
water to get off the coating of glue. 

Eggs of parrots and other tropical birds preserved in 
this manner, and the glue-coating soaked off in cold 
water, it is said have afterwards been hatched in the 
usual way ; and the young birds have lived. 

FINE FRENCH MUSTARD.— Take a sufficient 
quantity of green tarragon leaves, (picked from the 
stalks) and put them into a wide-mouthed glass jar till 
it is half full ; pressing them down hard. Then fill up 
the jar with the best cider- vinegar, and cork it closely. 
Let it infuse a week or two. Then pour off the vinegar 
into a pitcher, remove all the tarragon from the jar, and 
put in an equal quantity of fresh leaves of the plant, and 
pour back the same vinegar from the pitcher. Cork it 
again, and let the last tarragon remain in the jar. In 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 419 

another fortnight the vinegar will be sufficiently flavoured 
with tarragon to use it for French mustard, or for other 
purposes. Then peel a clove of garlic ; (not more than 
one,) and mince it as ffr)e as possible. Mix it into four 
ounces (a quarter of a pound) of the best mustard- 
powder, in a deep white pan. Take a jill, or two large 
wine-glasses of the tarragon vinegar, (strained from the 
leaves,) pour it into a mug, and mix with it thoroughly 
an equal quantity of salad oil. Then with the mixture 
of vinegar and oil, moisten the mustard-powder, gradu- 
ally, (using a wooden spoon,) till you get it a very little 
thicker than the usual consistence of made mustard. 
Put it into small clean, white jars, and cork them closely. 

If you find that the above quantity of oil and vinegar 
will make the mustard too thin, you need not use the 
whole of the liquid. If the mustard seems too thick, 
dilute it gradually with a little more of the oil and 
vinegar. 

This mustard is very superior to the common prepara- 
tion, and is universally liked ; particularly with beef and 
mutton. It must be kept closely corked. It is usual to 
bring it to table in the little white jar, with a small spoon 
beside it. 

The herb tarragon may be had green and fresh in July 
and August. It is much used in French cookery, as a 
seasoning for stews, soups, &c. 

Tarragon vinegar is very good with boiled cabbage or 
greens. The tarragon leaves of the second infusion should 
be kept remaining in the jar, pouring off the vinegar 
from them as it is wanted. A small quantity may be 
kept in a cruet ; retaining the leaves at the bottom. 



A WASHINGTON PUDDING.— Pick, and wash 
clean half a pound of Zante currants ; drain them, and 
wipe them in a towel, and then spread them out on a flat 



420 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

dish, and place them before the fire to dry thoroughly. 
Prepare about a quarter of a pound or half a pint of 
finely-grated bread-crumbs. Have ready a heaping tea- 
spoonful of powdered mace, cinnamon, and nutmeg mixed. 
When the currants are dry, dredge them thickly on all 
sides with flour, to prevent their sinking or clodding in 
the pudding while baking. Cut up in a deep pan half a 
pound of the best fresh butter, and add to it half a pound 
of fine white sugar, powdered. Stir the butter and sugar 
together, with a wooden spaddle, till they are very light 
and creamy. Then add a table-spoonful of wine, and a 
table-spoonful of brandy. Beat in a shallow pan eight 
eggs till perfectly light, and as thick as a good boiled 
custard. Afterwards, mix with them, gradually, a pint 
of rich milk and the grated bread-crumbs, stirred in al- 
ternately. Next, stir this mixture, by degrees, into the 
pan of beaten butter and sugar ; and add the currants, a 
few at a time. Finish with a table-spoonful of strong 
rose-water, or a wine-glass full, if it is not very strong. 
Stir the whole very hard. Butter a large deep white 
dish; or two of soup-plate size. Put in the batter. Set 
it directly into a brisk oven, and bake it well. When 
cold, dredge the surface with powdered sugar. Serve it 
up in the dish in which it was baked. You may orna- 
ment the top with bits of citron cut into leaves and form- 
ing a wreath ; or with circles of preserved strawberries. 

This will be found a very fine pudding. It must be 
baked in time to become quite cold before dinner. 

For currants, you may substitute raisins of the best 
quality ; seeded, cut in half, and well dredged with flour. 

Instead of rose-water you may stir in the yellow rind 
(finely grated) of one large lemon, or two small ones, and 
their juice also. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 421 

NEW WAY OF WASHING SILK.— For ribbons, 
cravats, and other small articles of silk, put a sufficiency 
of the best fresh caniphine oil into a large basin, and press 
and squeeze the things well through it, without either 
soap or water. Then squeeze them till as dry as you can 
get them : open them out ; and having washed the basin, 
put into it some fresh camphine, and wash the articles 
through that in the same manner as before. Have hot 
irons ready, and as the things come out of the second 
camphine, (after well squeezing and shaking them, but 
not rinsing,) spread them open on the ironing-sheet, and 
iron them smoothly and evenly on the wrong side. Do 
each article, as soon as it has had the second washing, as 
they should remain wet as short a time as possible. 

There is no way of washing silk things that will make 
them look so well as this. It injures no colour, but 
rather brightens all, and gives the silk just the right 
degree of stiffness, besides making it very clean and fresh. 
When done, hang them in the open air for a while. A 
silk dress may be washed in this, manner, putting the 
camphine into a large queensware foot-bath. It should 
not go into a vessel of either wood or metal. The dress 
must first be taken entirely apart; but it will look so well 
when washed and ironed, that you will not regret the 
trouble. 

Camphine generally sells at about fifty cents a gallon, 
sometimes lower. 



TO SAVE STAIR-CARPETS.— Stair-carpets always 
wear out first (and sometimes very soon) at those parts 
that go against the edges or ledges of the stairs. They 
will last much longer at the edges, (indeed, as long as any 
other part of the carpet,) if the following precaution is 
taken. Get some old carpeting, (first made very clean,) 
and cut it into strips just the width of the stair-carpet. 
36 



422 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

Each strip must be wide enough to put on double. Nail 
these strips, carefully and smoothly, on the round edge 
of each stair, so as to cover it entirely, above and below. 
Afterwards, put down the stair-carpet. "When it is taken 
up to have the stairs washed, these strips will be found 
no inconvenience to the cleaning ; taking care, however, 
if any of the nails or tacks get loosened, to drive them in 
again tightly ; and if bent, to replace them by new ones. 
The slips must have time to get quite dry before the 
carpet is put down again. 

Another way to save a stair-carpet, is to buy enough to 
make it a yard or more too long. "Whenever the carpet 
is put down again, after it has been taken up for the pur- 
pose of cleaning the stairs, shift its position every time, 
so that the same places of the carpet may not always go 
against the ledges of the stairs. The extra length must 
be folded under, sometimes at the top of the staircase, 
and sometimes at the bottom. 

Both these methods of saving a stair-carpet we know 
to be good. The first is the least expensive ; but it is 
more trouble to nail on all the double slips of old carpet- 
ing, than to buy the additional yard of new. 

In hotels where there is always plenty of old carpeting, 
and where there are men who can easily nail on the slips, 
this is a much better way than to cover the stairs first 
with oil-cloth, and then with zinc to save the oil-cloth ; 
corners of the zinc frequently getting loose and catching 
and tearing the ladies' dresses. 

Oil spilt on a stair-carpet can generally be taken away 
by immediately wiping off as much as can thus be re- 
moved, and then directly washing the place with cold 
water ; renewing the water with fresh, till the grease dis- 
appears. If it will not come out, cover the place tho- 
roughly with scraped fuller's earth. Let it rest an hour 
or two : then brush that off, and put on a fresh layer of 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 423 

fuller's earth ; repeating it till the oil is entirely expelled. 
Scraped Wilmington clay is still better than fuller's earth. 



SPERMACETI, TO EXTRACT FROM CARPETS 
OR CLOTHES. — There is no better way of removing 
spermaceti, than, (after scraping off with a knife as much 
as you can get from the surface of the spot,) to cover it 
with a piece of clean blotting paper, or any paper that is 
soft and thin, and press it with a warm iron. By repeat- 
ing this, (taking each time a clean part of the paper,) any 
spermaceti spot may be removed from carpets, coats, 
ladies' dresses, or other similar articles. 

When spermaceti has been dropped on a table, lay a 
blotting paper on the spot, and then hold over it, care- 
fully, at a small distance above, a hot coal in the tongs. 
Pressing it with a warm iron would mark the mahogany. 



CHEAP OIL FOR KITCHEN LAMPS.— Let all 

scraps of fat (including even whatever bits are left on the 
dinner-plates) and all drippings be carefully saved, and 
put into an earthen crock, covered, and set in a cold 
place. When the crock is full, transfer the fat to an 
iron pot, filling it half-way up with fat ; and pour in suffi- 
cient cold water to reach the top. Set it over the fire, 
and boil and skim it till all the impurities are removed. 
Next pour the melted fat into a large broad pan of cold 
water, and set it away to cool. It will harden into a 
cake. Then take out the cake, and put it away in a cool 
place. When wanted for use, cut off a sufficient quantity, 
melt it by the fire till it becomes liquid, and then fill the 
lamp with it, as with lard. It will give a clear bright 
light, quite equal to that of lard, and better than whale 
oil ; and it costs nothing but the trouble of preparing the 
fat. We highly recommend this piece of economy. 



424 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

RELIEF FOR CORNS.— Experience proves that 
there is scarcely a possibility of removing corns on the 
feet, so that they will never return. The following 
remedy we know to he an excellent palliative ) it will for 
a time diminish their size, and take away their soreness, 
and is easily renewed when they again become trouble- 
some. It is peculiarly excellent for corns between the 
toes, which, of all others, are the most painful when they 
inflame. 

Get at a druggist's a sixpenny box of Simple Cerate, 
(which is made of white wax, spermaceti, and lard, melted 
together, and stewed to a salve,) and with your finger, 
apply a small portion of this to each corn, letting it stay 
on for two or three hours j and then repeat the applica- 
tion. Do this several times during the day. For corns 
between the toes, add to the cerate a little soft, open 
white wool, such as you may pick off the surface of a 
blanket. Stick this in between the toes — the salve that 
adheres to it will keep it in its place. Repeat this 
through the day with fresh cerate and wool ; putting on 
your stockings carefully. At night, before going to bed, 
wash off the cerate. In the morning renew it, as before. 
It gives not the least pain, but is soothing and pleasant. 
Proceed in this manner for a few days or a week, and you 
will find great relief. Try it, and be convinced. 

Stockings with toes too narrow or pointed, are just as 
apt to produce corns, and to increase their pain and in- 
flammation, as the wearing of narrow-toed shoes. 



BROILED CANVAS BACK DUCKS.— To have 
these ducks with their flavour and juices in perfection, 
they should be cooked immediately after killing. If shot 
early in the morning, let them be broiled for breakfast ; 
if killed in the forenoon, they should be dressed for that 
day's dinner. When they can be obtained quite fresh, 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 425 

broiling is now considered the best way of cooking 
them. 

As soon as the ducks have been plucked, and drawn, 
and washed, split them down the back, and lay them, 
spread open, on a very clean gridiron, set over a bed of 
clear bright coals. The gridiron should have grooved 
bars to retain as much as possible of the gravy. Broil 
them well and thoroughly, so that the flesh may not 
have the least redness when sent to table. They will 
generally be done in twenty minutes or more. Serve 
them up as hot as possible. They will be found full of 
gravy, and require no sauce when cooked in this manner ; 
but you may season them as you please when on your 
plate. 

AUTUMN LEAVES.— The autumnal colours of our 
American forest trees are justly admired for the bright- 
ness, richness, and variety of their tints. Some of our 
fair countrywomen have worn them in Europe, formed 
into wreaths for the hair, or trimmings for ball-dresses, 
and the effect was considered beautiful. They may be 
preserved for this purpose by the following process. 
G-ather as many varieties of autumn foliage as you can 
obtain ; seeing that every leaf is perfect, and that there 
is a stem to each. The best time is in the month of 
October. Include among them those of the crimson 
maple, the purple beech, the willow oak with its under- 
side of silvery white, the yellow hickory, the aspen, and 
any others that are richly tinted by the frost. Also, by 
way of contrast, some green pine sprigs. Lay them se- 
parately between the leaves of a large writing-paper book, 
(an old ledger will do very well,) and do not put tree- 
leaves between all the book-leaves successively, but alter- 
nately ; otherwise they will not be smooth and flat when 
pressed. That is, put tree-leaves between the second and 
36* 



426 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

third pages of the book, and then no more till between 
the sixth and seventh pages. Lay the next tree-leaves 
between the tenth and eleventh pages, and so on, till 
they are all in. Place several other heavy books upon 
the ledger so as to press well the leaves beneath. 

Stretch a twine across the room, or from the backs of 
two chairs, and tie a small twine string to each stem. 
Have ready some very fine clear varnish, (such as is used 
for maps, &c.) and with a large camels' hair brush, go 
carefully over both sides of the leaves, including the 
stem. Fasten them all, separately, to the stretched twine ; 
seeing that none of them are near enough to each other to 
touch. Then lock the door of the room, that nothing may 
get in to disturb them, or raise the slightest dust while 
the varnish is drying. When perfectly dry, and not in 
the least sticky to the touch of the finger, have ready 
some sheets of smooth thick white paper. In each sheet 
cut small double slits to admit the stems, and in this way 
secure the leaves from slipping about and being injured. 
Write the name of each leaf above it. Let the other half 
of the sheet lie upon them. Put these sheets within a 
double cover of binders-board, (like a port-folio,) which 
you must then seal up in paper, like a large parcel, and 
the leaves in all their autumn beauty may be safely trans- 
ported to any part of the world. 

They will be found very useful to landscape-painters. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 427 

MADEIRA CHARLOTTE RUSSE.— Take one ounce 
of gelatine, or of the very best Russia isinglass, and soak 
it, near half an hour, in as much cold water as will barely 
cover it. It must merely soften, and not dissolve. Then 
drain off the water, and put the gelatine or isinglass into 
a pint of rich cream ; adding a vanilla bean split, cut to 
pieces, and tied closely in a very thin muslin bag. Set 
the cream over a slow fire in a porcelain preserving-kettle, 
and let it boil till the' gelatine is entirely dissolved, and 
thoroughly mixed with the cream. Give it a hard stir- 
ring, down to the bottom, several times while boiling. 

Have ready the yolks only, of eight eggs, beaten till 
very light and thick; and then beat, gradually, into the 
yolk of egg three quarters of a pound of the best powdered 
loaf-sugar. Then take the cream off the fire, and (having 
first removed the vanilla) stir into it, by degrees, the 
mixture of beaten yolk of egg and sugar. Set the kettle 
again over a slow fire, and let it simmer till very thick; 
but do not allow it to boil hard, or too long, lest it should 
curdle. 

When the mixture is sufficiently thick, take it off, and 
set it away to cool. Have ready the whites of four of the 
eight eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Then stir two heaping 
table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar into half a turn, 
bler-full of Madeira wine, and beat it slowly into the 
white of egg; adding a little more powdered sugar if the 
wine seems likely to curdle the egg. 

When the yellow or yolk-of-egg mixture is quite cold, 
stir gradually into it the white mixture, till all is thoroughly 
amalgamated. Have ready a mould or moulds lined with 
very thin slices of almond sponge-cake. Fill them up 
with the mixture, and set them on ice till the charlotte 
is wanted. Then turn it out. You may cover the top 
with icing made in the usual way, and flavoured with ex- 
tract of vanilla, or extract of bitter almond — or peach-water. 



428 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

LEMON CHARLOTTE RUSSE.— Is made as in the 
preceding receipt; substituting for the vanilla and Ma- 
deira, the yellow rind and the juice of two large whole 
lemons, or three if not of the largest size. Rub off the 
yellow rind (or zest) upon lumps of loaf-sugar, scraping 
it off with a knife as you proceed, and saving it on a 
saucer. Then powder these lumps, and mix them with 
half the remainder of the three-quarters of a pound of 
sugar, and the scraped yellow rind. Add it (as above) 
to the beaten yolk of egg, and boil it slowly with the 
isinglass and cream. Then cut the lemons, and squeeze 
their juice into the remaining sugar. Having beaten the 
whites of half the eight eggs to a stiff froth, add to it the 
lemon-juice and sugar; and when the mixture of cream, 
egg, and isinglass is cold, mix gradually with it the beaten 
white of egg, &c. Lastly, line the mould with thin slices 
of lady-cake, or almond sponge-cake ; put in the mixture, 
and set it on ice. Before it goes to table ice the top; 
flavouring the icing with lemon-juice. 



ORANGE CHARLOTTE RUSSE.— Is made as above 
— substituting for the lemons three fine large oranges, and 
flavouring the icing with orange-juice. Line the moulds 
with almond sponge-cake. Orange cake will be still better 
for this purpose. 



ROSE CHARLOTTE RUSSE.— Take an ounce of 
Russia isinglass or of gelatine, and soften it by soaking 
a while in cold water. Then boil it slowly in a pint of 
cream, sweetened with a quarter of a pound of fine loaf- 
sugar, (adding a handful of fresh rose-leaves tied in a thin 
muslin bag,) till it is thoroughly dissolved, and well mixed. 
Take it off the fire; set it to cool; and beat together till 
very light and thick, four whole eggs, and the yolks only 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 429 

of four others. Stir the beaten eggs gradually into the 
mixture of cream, sugar and isinglass, and set it again over 
the fire. Stir it well, and see that it only simmers; taking 
it off before it comes quite to a boil. Then, while it is 
warm, stir in sufficient extract of roses, to give it a high 
rose-flavour and a fragrant smell. Have ready two moulds 
lined with lady-cake, or almond sponge-cake. Fill them with 
the mixture, and set them on ice. Before they go to table, 
ice the tops of the charlotte, flavouring the icing with rose. 



CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE BUSSE. — Having 
soaked in cold water an ounce of Russia isinglass, or of 
gelatine, shave down three ounces of the best choco- 
late, which must have no spice or sugar in it, (Baker's 
Prepared Cocoa is excellent for this and all other choco- 
late purposes,) and mix it gradually into a pint of cream, 
adding the soaked isinglass. Set the cream, chocolate, 
and isinglass over the fire, in a porcelain kettle; and boil 
it slowly till the isinglass is dissolved thoroughly, and the 
whole is well mixed. Then take it off the fire and let it 
cool. Have ready eight yolks of eggs and four whites, 
beaten all together till very light; and stir them gradually 
into the mixture, in txwn with half a pound of powdered 
loaf-sugar. Simmer the whole over the fire, but do not 
let it quite boil. Then take it off, and with a chocolate- 
mill, (or with rods,) whip it to a strong froth. Line your 
moulds with sponge-cake, and set them on ice. 

If you like a strong chocolate flavour, take four ounces 
of the cocoa. 

ALMOND ICE-CREAM.— To every quart of cream, 
allow two ounces of shelled sweet almonds, and two 
ounces of shelled bitter almonds. Blanch the almonds 
in scalding water, and then throw them into cold water ; 



430 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

afterwards, put them, one at a time, (bitter and sweet 
alternately,) into a marble mortar, and pound them to a 
fine, smooth paste, moistening them with a little cream as 
you proceed. When the almonds are all done, stir them 
gradually into the cream you intend to freeze. Set it 
over a fire, and continue to boil it five minutes after it has 
come to a boil. Then strain it into a freezer, and while 
it is warm stir in gradually sufficient powdered loaf-sugar 
to make it very sweet, allowing three-quarters of a pound 
to every quart of cream. Freeze it in the usual manner. 



ALMOND ICE-CREAM— Another way. To each quart 
of cream, allow three ounces of shelled bitter-almonds, 
and no sweet ones. Blanch them and break them up 
slightly. Put them into a porcelain sauce-pan, and pour 
on water, allowing half a pint of water to each ounce of 
almonds. Boil them long and slowly, till the water is 
highly-flavoured, and so reduced in quantity that it barely 
covers the almonds. Then strain it off; and when cool, 
stir the almond water into the cream, adding sugar by 
degrees; allowing three-quarters of a pound to every 
quart of cream. Put the mixture into a freezer, and pro- 
ceed as usual. 



CHOCOLATE ICE-CREAM.— Chocolate used for this 
purpose must have neither sugar nor spice in it. Baker's 
Prepared Cocoa is the best. For each quart of cream, 
scrape down three large ounces of cocoa or chocolate, put 
it into a sauce-pan with half a pint of hot water for each 
ounce, and mix it into a smooth paste with a spoon. 
Place it over hot coals, and when it has come to a boil, 
take it off the fire and set it to cool. When it has be- 
come lukewarm, stir the chocolate into the cream, and strain 
it. When strained, add gradually, for each quart of cream, 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 431 

three-quarters of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar ; and give 
the whole a boil up. Then put it into a freezer. 

Another way. — To every quart of cream, allow three 
ounces of Baker's Prepared Cocoa, and half a pound 
of powdered loaf-sugar. Scrape the cocoa very fine, and 
stir it into the cream, alternately with the sugar, a little 
of each at a time. Having well mixed the whole, boil and 
stir it, continuing to do so five or six minutes after it has 
come to a boil. Then strain it into the freezer. 



ORANGE ICE-CREAM.— To each quart of cream, 
allow two fine ripe oranges, and three-quarters of a pound 
of loaf-sugar. Rub the yellow rinds of the oranges upon a 
large lump of sugar, and scraping it off as you proceed, 
transfer it to a saucer. Then powder the lump of sugar, 
and put it, with the rest, all of which must be powdered. 
Squeeze the juice of the oranges among the sugar, mixing 
it well in. Then stir it gradually into the cream. Give 
it one boil up, and then transfer it to the freezer. 



LEMON ICE-CREAM.— May be made as in the above 
receipt. It will require more sugar, as lemons are more 
acid than oranges. 

Never use oil of lemon or essence of lemon for any 
flavouring. This article is now too generally made of 
tartaric acid, vitriol, or other drugs that render it unpa- 
latable and unwholesome. Some of it tastes like pepper- 
mint. All lemon-flavouring should be obtained from the 
fruit only. 



WINE JELLY. — Take three ounces of Cooper's isin- 
glass or gelatine, and soak it in cold water during five 



432 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

minutes. Then take it out and put it into a preserving 
kettle, and dissolve it in two quarts of boiling water. Stir 
into it a pound of loaf-sugar, on part of which has been 
rubbed off the thin yellow rind of four large lemons. Add 
two large sticks of cinnamon broken up, and the juice of 
the lemons mixed with a pint of white wine, (madeira, 
sherry, or malaga,) and add also the broken shells and 
beaten whites of four eggs. Having mixed all the ingredi- 
ents well in the preserving kettle, put on the cover, set the 
kettle over the fire, and boil it steadily during twenty 
minutes. Then take it off, and let it stand five minutes 
or more, to settle. Pour the whole carefully into a thin 
flannel bag, and let it run into your jelly moulds. On no 
account squeeze the bag, as that will injure the clearness 
of the jelly. 

This mode of preparing jelly with artificial isinglass 
saves the trouble of boiling calves' feet the day before. It 
can be made in a short time. 



VERY FINE APPLE JELLY.— Having cut out all 

blemishes, quarter half a bushel of the best pippin or bell- 
flower apples, without peeling or coring, and as you cut 
them, throw them into a pan of cold water to preserve the 
colour. When all the apples have been thus cut up, take 
them out of the water, but do not wipe or dry them. 
Then weigh the cut apples, and to each pound, allow a 
pound of the best loaf-sugar. Put them with the sugar 
into a large preserving-kettle and barely enough of 
water to prevent their burning, mixing among them 
the yellow rind of half a dozen lemons pared off very 
thin and cut into pieces. Also the juice of the le- 
mons. When perfectly soft, and boiled to a mash, put 
the apples, &c, into a large linen jelly-bag, and run the 
liquid into moulds, if wanted for present use; and into 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 433 

jars if intended for keeping. Lay brandy paper on the 
top of each jar, and cover them closely. 



PEAR MARMALADE.— Take large fine juicy pears. 
Pare, core, and cut them up into small pieces. Weigh 
the pieces; and to every two pounds allow a pound and a 
half of sugar, and the grated peel and juice of a large 
orange or lemon, adding a tea-spoonful of powdered gin- 
ger. Put the whole into a preserving-kettle and boil it 
over a moderate fire, till it becomes a very thick, smooth 
marmalade, stirring it up from the bottom frequently, and 
skimming the surface before each stirring. When quite 
done, put it warm into jars — and cover it. 

For children, or for common family use, it may be made 
with large pound pears and brown sugar ; but it always 
requires the acid of orange or lemon to make it palatable; 
pears, when cooked, having no acid of their own/ 



FIG MARMALADE.— Take fine fresh figs that are 

perfectly ripe, such as can only be obtained in countries 

where they are cultivated in abundance. Weigh them, 

and to every two pounds of figs allow a pound and a half 

of sugar, and the yellow rind of a large orange or lemon, 

pared very thin. Cut up the figs, and put them into a 

preserving-kettle with the sugar, and orange or lemon-rind, 

adding the juice. Boil them till the whole is reduced to 

a thick, smooth mass, frequently stirring it up from the 

bottom. When done, put it warm into jars, and cover it 

closely. 

— • — 

TOMATA MARMALADE.— This is the best sort of 
tomata sweetmeat. Take ripe tomatas in the height of 
the season. In autumn they become watery, and insipid. 
Weigh them ; and to every pound of tomatas allow a pound 

37 



434 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

of sugar. Put the tomatas into a large pan, or a small 
tub, and scald them with boiling water, so as to make the 
skin peel off easily. When you have entirely removed the 
skins, put the tomatas (without any water) into a pre- 
serving-kettle, mash them, and add the sugar, with spoon- 
fuls of ground ginger to your taste ; also fresh lemon-peel 
finely grated, and sufficient lemon-juice to give it a fine 
flavour. Stir up the whole together, and set it over a 
moderate fire. Boil it gently for two or three hours, till 
the whole becomes a thick, smooth mass — skimming it 
well, and stirring it to the bottom after every skimming. 
When done, put it warm into jars; cover it tightly, 
(pasting paper over the lids,) and keep it in a dry place. 
This will be found a very fine sweetmeat. There should 
be enough of ginger and lemon to overpower the tomata 
flavour. 

For children, this sweetmeat is better than any other; 
and it may be made for them very economically with good 
brown sugar, (always allowing a pound of sugar to a pound 
of tomatas,) and with no other flavouring than ginger. 
The natural taste of the tomatas must not be perceptible, 
it is their substance only that is wanted, and their whole- 
some properties. 



RED FLUMMERY.— Boil a pound of ground rice in 
as much water as will cover it. When it is thoroughly 
boiled, and very thick and smooth, stir into the rice (while 
hot) a half pound of powdered white sugar, and about 
three jills, or six large wine-glasses of fresh currant or 
cherry juice, that has been pressed through a linen bag. 
Next replace it on the fire, and boil the whole together for 
about ten minutes, stirring it well. Then put it into 
moulds, and set it on ice. When cold, turn it out, and 
eat it with sweetened cream, or with boiled custard. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 435 

You may use the juice of fresh strawberries or raspber- 
ries, stirred in while the flummery is hot, but not boiled 
afterwards. The flavour of strawberries and raspberries is 
always impaired and weakened by cooking. 



MCE BLANCMANGE.— Boil half a pint of whole 
rice in as little water as possible, till all the grains lose 
their form and become a soft mass. Next put it into a 
sieve, and drain and press out all the water. Then return 
it to the sauce-pan, and mix with it a large half pint of 
rich milk, and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. 
Boil it again till the whole is reduced to a pulp. Then 
remove it from the fire, and stir in, (while hot,) a wine- 
glass of rose-water. Dip your moulds into cold water, 
and then fill them with the rice; set them on ice, and 
when quite firm and cold, turn out the blancmange, and 
serve it up on dishes with a sauce-tureen of sweetened 
cream flavoured with nutmeg. Or you may eat it with a 
boiled custard, or with wine sauce. 

You may mould it in large breakfast cups. Always 
dip your moulds for a moment in lukewarm water before 
you turn out their contents. 



FARINA. — Farina is a very fine and delicate prepara- 
tion made from the inner part of the grain of new wheat. 
It is exceedingly nutritious, and excellent, either for in- 
valids or for persons in health. It is now much in use, 
and is to be had in packages of a pound or half a pound 
at the best grocers' and druggists', or in large quantities 
at No. 101 South Front Street, Philadelphia; and 201 
Cherry Street, New York. It is highly recommended by 
physicians. 



436 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

FARINA GRUEL. — Have some water boiling on the 
fire, and slowly sprinkle in sufficient farina to thicken it 
to the desired consistence. Continue the boiling twenty 
minutes afterwards. Sweeten it with loaf-sugar. 



FARINA PANADA.— Soak the farina for several 
hours in milk. Then drain it, and put it into a vessel 
that has a close lid. Set this vessel in a kettle of water, 
raising it on a trivet or something similar. Place it over 
the fire, and make it boil all round the outside of the inner 
vessel. This will cook the farina very nicely. Keep it 
boiling till it becomes a thick, smooth mass. When done, 
sweeten it with white sugar; and, if permitted, you may 
flavour it with a little nutmeg and white wine. Some 
fresh lemon peel may be boiled with it, to be removed 
when the farina is taken up. 



BAKED FARINA PUDDING.— Boil a quart of milk, 
gradually stirring into it, while boiling, a quarter of a 
pound of farina. Then take it up ; and, while warm, mix 
into it a quarter of a pound of sugar ; half a nutmeg 
grated; and a wine-glass of rose-water, or of white wine, 
or half a glass of brandy. Then beat four eggs very light, 
and stir them gradually into the farina mixture. Bake 
it in a buttered, deep dish, and grate sugar over it when 
done. 



FARINA FLUMMERY or BLANCMANGE.— 
From a quart of rich milk take out a half pint. Put the 
half-pint into a small sauce-pan, and add to it a handful 
of bitter almonds broken up ; or a bunch of fresh peach- 
leaves ; or a vanilla bean split and cut into pieces, and 
tied up in a bit of thin muslin. Having boiled the milk 
till it is very highly-flavoured, strain it, and add it to the 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 437 

pint and a half. Then set it over the fire in a porcelain 
or delft-lined vessel, and boil it well. When it has come 
to a boil, begin to sprinkle in gradually a quarter of a 
pound (or four large heaping table-spoonfuls) of farina, 
stirring it well. Let it boil a quarter of an hour after all 
the farina is in. When done, remove it from the fire, and 
stir in (if you have used bitter almond or peach-leaf 
flavouring) a wine-glass of rose-water; add four large table- 
spoonfuls of powdered sugar. Put the flummery into a 
blancmange mould, set it on ice, and turn it out when 
wanted for dinner. Have ready to eat with it, a boiled 
custard, flavoured either with bitter almond or vanilla. 

Another way. — Grate on a lump of sugar the yel- 
low rind of a large lemon or orange, scraping it off with 
a tea-spoon as you proceed, and saving it on a saucer. 
Then mix it with a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf- 
sugar. Boil a quart of water, and when it has come to a 
boil, stir in alternately the sugar and four large heaping 
table-spoonfuls of farina. Let it boil a quarter of an hour 
longer. Then add the juice of the lemon or orange. Then 
put it into a mould and set it on ice to congeal. Eat with 
it boiled custard, flavoured with lemon or orange. 

Another way. — Mix with a pint of water a pint of ripe 
currant-juice, strained through a sieve or bag, and well 
sweetened. In winter you may substitute the juice of 
stewed cranberries made very sweet. Boil the water and 
juice together. Then stir in gradually a quarter of a 
pound of farina, and boil it fifteen minutes longer. Trans- 
fer it to a mould, and set it on ice to congeal. Eat it with 

sweetened cream. 

— ♦ — 

FARINA PLUM PUDDING.— Having extracted 
the seeds from half a pound of the best raisins, cut them 
37* 



438 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

in half, and dredge them well with sifted flour, to prevent 
their clodding, or sinking in the pudding. Pick, wash, 
and dry half a pound of Zante currants, and dredge 
them also with flour. Prepare a heaped teaspoonful of 
powdered spice; nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, mixed 
together. Boil three pints of milk, and while it is boil- 
ing, sprinkle in a half pound of farina. Next add the 
spice, and let it boil a quarter of an hour longer. Then 
take it up, and set it to cool. When it is lukewarm, stir 
in gradually, six well-beaten eggs, in turn with the raisins 
and currants ; a large piece of fresh butter ; and a small 
glass of brandy. You may add some slips of citron, 
dredged with flour. Stir the mixture very hard. Put 
it into a buttered pudding-mould. Tie a double cloth 
tightly over the top, and place it in a pot of boiling water. 
Boil it three or four hours ; and then turn it out on a 
dish. Eat it with wine-sauce ; or with cold butter and 
sugar stirred together to a cream, and flavoured with nut- 
meg and lemon. 



ROXBURY TEA CAKE.— On bread-making day 
take a pound or a quart of very light wheaten bread- 
dough, just before the loaves are put into the oven. Lay 
it in an earthen pan, and mix in, gradually, and alter- 
nately, three well-beaten eggs; a half-pint of powdered 
white sugar; half a pint of rich milk or cream; half a pint 
or a half-pound of fresh butter; and a tea-spoonful of 
mixed spice, powdered mace, nutmeg and cinnamon ; with 
a wine-glass of rose-water. Mix the whole thoroughly, 
beating and stirring it well. Lastly, add a yeast powder; 
dissolving in one cup the portion of soda in a little luke- 
warm water, and mixing it into the dough; and melting 
in another cup the tartaric acid, and then stirring that in. 
Sprinkle some flour on your paste-board, and make the 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 439 

dough into small ro?ind cakes. Having pricked the tops 
with a fork, lay them in a buttered pan, set them imme- 
diately into the oven, and bake them brown. Eat them 
fresh, the day they are baked. You may bake the dough 
all in one loaf. 

This cake will be improved by the addition of some 
raisins of the best quality, seeded and cut in half; and 
well-dredged with flour to prevent their sinking into a 
clod. 

For a larger quantity, you must have two quarts of 
risen bread-dough; six eggs; a pint of powdered sugar; 
a pint of milk; a pound of fresh butter; and a table- 
spoonful of mixed spice; two wine-glasses of rose-water; 
and two yeast powders, or a full tea-spoonful of soda, and 
somewhat less than a tea-spoon of tartaric acid. 

ALPISTERAS. {Spanish calces.)— To one pound of 
fine flour, (well sifted and dried,) add half a pound of 
powdered loaf-sugar, (also sifted,) and mix them well to- 
gether. In a shallow pan beat your eggs very light, and 
then gradually wet with them the mixed flour and sugar, 
adding a wine-glass of rose-water, or orange-flower water, 
or else the juice of two large oranges or lemons. Work 
the whole into a stiff dough, and knead it well. Roll it 
out into a very thin sheet, and cut it into squares of about 
five inches in size each way. Divide each square (half 
way down) into slips, so as to resemble a hand with fin- 
gers. Then curl or bend up the slips or fingers ; or twist 
and twirl them so as to look like bunches of ribbons. 
Have ready, in a pot over the fire, a large portion of boil- 
ing lard. Put the alpisteras carefully into it, a few at a 
time, and fry them a light brown. Take them up on a 
perforated skimmer, draining back the lard into the pot. 
Spread them to cool on a large dish ; and when cool, sift 
powdered sugar over them. 



440 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

PISTO OMELETTE.— This is a favourite omelette in 
Spain. Mince together cold turkey or chicken, and an 
equal quantity of cold ham or tongue ; adding a chopped 
onion or two, and sufficient sweet marjoram and sweet 
basil to season it well : also a little cayenne. No salt, as 
the ham will render it quite salt enough. Have ready 
sufficient well-beaten eggs to make it into a good omelette 
mixture; and stir the whole very hard at the last. Have 
ready over the fire, a broad pan of boiling lard. Put in 
the mixture with a ladle, and fry it in flat cakes. Serve 
it up hot. 



GUISADA OR SPANISH STEW.— Take hare, rab- 
bit, partridges, pheasants, or chickens. Cut them up as 
in carving; and save the giblets. Do not wash the 
pieces, but dry them in a cloth. Put them into a pan in 
which there is a sufficiency of hot sweet oil, (adding a 
sliced onion,) and fry them brown. Then transfer them 
(with the gravy) to an earthen stew-pan or pipkin. Add 
some bits of cold ham cut thin and small, and a bunch 
of sweet herbs chopped fine ; also a little cayenne. Pour 
in wdne and broth in equal portions, sufficient to cover the 
pieces well; adding the giblets. Let it simmer gently, 
till thoroughly done, carefully skimming off all the grease, 
and stirring the meat up from the bottom with a wooden 
spoon. Serve it hot in a covered dish. 

It will be improved by the juice of one or two oranges, 
squeezed in toward the last. 



POLLO VALENCIANO.— This is also a Spanish 
dish. Cut up a large fine fowl into pieces. Wipe them 
clean and dry, but do not wash them or lay them in water. 
Put into a broad sauce-pan, a tea-cup of sweet oil, and a 
bit of bread. Let it fry, (stirring it about with a wooden 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 441 

spoon,) and when the bread is browned take it out, and 
throw it away. Then put in a sliced onion, and fry that; 
but take care not to let it burn or it will become bitter, 
and spoil the stew. Then put in the pieces of fowl, and 
let them brown for a quarter of an hour. Then transfer 
it to a stew-pan, adding a little bit of chili or red pepper 
minced small, and some chopped sweet herbs. Also half 
a dozen large tomatas quartered; and two tea-cups of 
boiled rice. Add a little salt, and stir the whole well to- 
gether, having poured on sufficient hot broth to cover it. 
Place it over the fire, and when it has come to a hard 
boil, put the lid on the pan and set it aside to simmer till 
the whole is completely cooked, and the gravy very thick. 
About ten minutes before the stew goes to table, take off 
the lid of the stew-pan, lest the steam should condense on 
it and clod the rice, or render it watery. Serve it up un* 
covered. 



GA.ZPACHO. — In Spanish countries this is a common 
luncheon or supper for working people. Take onions, 
cucumbers, and a small chili or red pepper. Peel them, 
chop them fine, and mix them with plenty of bread 
crumbs, and a little salt. Mix equal quantities of vinegar 
and water, and add an ample portion of sweet oil. Put 
the whole into a pipkin, and stir it well. Set it on hot 
coals, and simmer it till well cooked. Eat slices of bread 
with it. 

In summer it is usual to serve up this mixture in a large 
bowl without any cooking. 

SPANISH SALAD.— A Spanish proverb says that 
for compounding a good salad, four persons are required — 
a spendthrift for oil; a miser for vinegar; a counsellor 
for salt, (or a man of judgment ;) and a madman for stir- 



442 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

ring up the whole, hard and furiously. Get a very large 
salad-bo wl, that there may be ample room for stirring 
well. Prepare in separate vessels the lettuce and the 
seasoning. They should not be put together till a few 
minutes before the salad is to be eaten; otherwise it will 
be tough and sodden instead of crisp and fresh. Do not 
cut it with a knife, but tear or strip off the leaves of the 
lettuce, and throw all the stalk away. Then wash the 
leaves through several cold waters, and dry them in a 
clean napkin. Put them into the large bowl; and in a 
smaller bowl mix the seasoning, for which you must have 
equal quantities of mixed vinegar and water ; a small tea- 
spoonful of mixed cayenne and salt ; and four times as 
much sweet oil as the mixed vinegar and water. Mix all 
the seasoning thoroughly, stirring it very hard. Have 
ready on a plate some tarragon finely minced or powdered. 
Just before the salad is to be eaten, pour the dressing 
over the lettuce and strew the surface with tarragon. You 
may decorate the top with nasturtion flowers ; they are 
very nice to eat. 



CAROLINA WAY OF BOILING EICE.— Pick the 

rice carefully, and wash it through two or three cold 
waters till it is quite clean. Then (having drained off all 
the water through a cullender) put the rice into a pot 
of boiling water, with a very little salt; allowing as much 
as a quart of water to half a pint of rice. Boil it twenty 
minutas or more. Then pour off the water, draining the 
rice as dry as possible. Lastly, set it on hot coals with 
the lid off, that the steam may not condense upon it and 
render the rice watery. Keep it drying thus for a quarter 
of an hour. Put it into a deep dish, and loosen and toss 
it up from the bottom with two forks one in each hand, 
so that the grains may appear to stand alone. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 443 

A NICE WAY OF COOKING ASPARAGUS.— 

Where asparagus is plenty, there is no better way of cook- 
ing it than the following. Take it as nearly of a size as 
possible, wash it, and cut off the stalks very short ; leav- 
ing them not more than half an inch in length. Two 
quarts of water will be sufficient to boil one quart of as- 
paragus tops j allow a tea-spoonful of salt to this quantity 
of water, and set it over the fire to boil. When the water 
is boiling hard, put in the asparagus ) and boil it fast for 
at least half an hour. To see if it is done, take up two 
or three of the largest pieces and taste them. While it 
is boiling, prepare two slices of bread cut half an inch 
thick, and (having removed the crust) toast the bread 
brown on both sides. Have ready a large jill of melted 
(or drawn) fresh butter. When the asparagus is done, take 
it up with a perforated skimmer, and lay it on a sieve to 
drain. Dip the slices of toast (one at a time) first in the 
hot asparagus liquor, and then in the melted butter. Lay 
the slices, side by side, in a deep dish and cover it with the 
asparagus, laid evenly over and round the toast. Then add 
the remainder of the drawn butter, and send the asparagus 
to table hot, in a covered dish. 

This is a much nicer way than that of boiling and 
serving it up with the long stalks left on. And where you 
have asparagus in abundance, (for instance in a country 
garden,) it may always be cooked in this manner. 

This is from the receipt of Mr. N. Darling of New 
Haven. 



FRENCH WAY OF DRESSING ASPARAGUS.— 

Having boiled the asparagus-tops as above ; drain them 
on a sieve, and put them into a deep dish with a large 
lump of the best fresh butter. Mix the butter well among 
the asparagus, till it is melted throughout, and sprinkle 



444 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

in (if you like) a very little pepper. Coyer the dish, and 
keep it hot by the fire till it is time to send it to table. 
You may lay in the bottom of the dish two thin slices of 
toast, spread over with butter, after being first dipped in 
the asparagus water. 

Another way is to substitute salad oil for butter, mixed 
among the asparagus. 

— » — 

ONION EGG-S. — Boil a dozen eggs quite hard. Slice 
and fry in fresh butter five or six onions. Slice (whites 
and yolks together) ten of the eggs, reserving two for the 
seasoning. Drain the sliced onions, and lay them on a 
dish with the sliced eggs placed upon them. Cover the 
dish, and keep it hot. Take the two remaining eggs; 
grate the yolks ; and mix them with cream and grated 
nutmeg, and a very little cayenne. Put this mixture into 
a very small sauce-pan ; give it one boil up ; pour it over 
the eggs and onions; and send it to table hot. For those 
who have no objection to onions, this is a nice side dish. 



EGrG- BALLS. — Boil eight eggs till quite hard; and 
when done, throw them directly into cold water. Then 
put the yolks into a mortar, and pound them to a paste, 
moistening them as you proceed with the beaten yolks of 
three raw eggs, seasoned with as much salt as will lie 
flat upon a shilling, and a little cayenne, and powdered 
nutmeg and mace. Mix the whole well together, and 
make it up into small, round balls. Throw them into 
mock-turtle soup, or into stewed terrapin, about two 
minutes before you take it up. 



CURRY BALLS. — Take a sufficiency of finely-grated 
bread-crumbs; hard-boiled yolk of egg, grated; fresh 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS, 445 

butter; and a little curry powder. Pound the whole in 
a mortar, moistening it with raw yolk of egg (well-beaten) 
as you proceed. Make it into small balls, and add them 
to stewed chicken or stewed rabbit, about five minutes 
before you take it up. 



TOMATA PASTE.— Scald and peel as many ripe to- 
matas as will fill a large, deep, stone jar. Set them into 
a warm oven for an hour. Then skim off the watery 
liquid that has risen to the top, and press and squeeze 
the tomatas in a sieve. Afterwards add salt, cayenne, 
pounded mace, and powdered cloves to your taste; and to 
every quart of tomatas allow a half a pint of cider 
vinegar. Stew the whole slowly in a porcelain kettle for 
three hours, (stirring it frequently from the bottom,) till 
it becomes a smooth, thick paste. Then put it into small 
jars or glasses, and cover it closely; pasting paper over 
each. It is an excellent sauce, at the season when fresh 
tomatas are not to be had, and is very good to thicken 
soup. 



DRIED OCHKAS.— Take fine large fresh ochras; cut 
them into thin, round slices ; string them on threads, and 
hang them up in festoons to dry in the store-room. Be- 
fore using, they must be soaked in water during twenty- 
four hours. They will then be good (with the addition 
of tomata paste) to boil in soup or gumbo. 

BEEF GUMBO. — Put into a large stew-pan some 
pieces of the lean of fresh beef, cut up into small bits, 
and seasoned with a little pepper and salt. Add sliced 
ochras and tomatas, (either fresh, or dried ochras ?ud to- 
mata paste.) You may put in some sliced onions. Pour 
on water enough to cover it well. Let it boil slowly, 



446 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

(skimming it well,) till every thing is reduced to rags. 

Then strain and press it through a cullender. Have ready 

a sufficiency of toasted bread, cut into dice. Lay it in 

the bottom of a tureen, and pour the strained gumbo 

upon it. 

— ♦— 

FRIED CAULIFLOWER.— Having boiled the cauli- 
flower in milk till thoroughly done ; take it out, drain it, 
and cut it up into very small pieces, adding a very little 
salt and cayenne. Have ready in a frying-pan, suffi- 
cient fresh butter; and when it comes to a boil and is 
bubbling all over, put in the cauliflower and fry it, but 
not till it becomes brown. Make a slice or two of toast, 
dip it in hot water, butter it ; lay it on a dish ; and put 
the fried cauliflower upon it. 



FRIED CABBAGE.— Parboil a fine cabbage. Then 
take it out, drain it, and lay it a while in cold water to 
remove the cabbage smell. Next put it into a clean pot 
of fresh water, and boil it again till thoroughly done. 
Afterwards chop it small, season it with a little pepper 
and salt, and fry it in fresh butter. 

A less delicate way is to fry it in boiling lard. 



TO PREPARE LARD.— As soon it is cut off from 
the newly-killed pork, put the fat into a crock; cover it; 
and let it stand all night in a cool place. Next day, cut 
it into small bits, (carefully removing all the fleshy par- 
ticles of lean,) and put the fat into a pot without either 
water or salt. The pot should not be more than half-full. 
Let it boil slowly (stirring it frequently from the bottom 
lest it burn) till it becomes quite clear, and transparent. 
Then ladle it out into clean pans. When almost cold, 
put it into stone jars, which must be closely covered, and 



ADDITIONAL- RECEIPTS. 447 

kept in a cool place. If to go to a distance, tie it up in 
bladders. 

There are two sorts of pork fat for lard. The leaf fat, 
which is the best; and the fat that adheres to the entrails. 
These two fats should be boiled separately. 

The entrails, whose skins are to be used for sausage- 
cases, must be well scraped and cleaned out, and thrown 
into strong salt and water for two days, and afterwards 
into strong lye for twenty-four hours. This lye, when 
strained, will afterwards be good to assist in soap-making. 



BRINE FOE HAM OH BACON.— To every four 
gallons of water, allow four pounds of salt; two ounces 
of salt-petre; three pounds of sugar, and two quarts of 
molasses. Boil the whole together; skimming it well. 
When clear, let it cool. Bub the meat all over with 
ground red pepper. Then put as much meat into the 
pickling tub as can be very well covered by the brine, 
which must be poured on cold. Let it remain six weeks 
in the pickle, turning each piece every day. Afterwards, 
smoke it well for a fortnight, hanging the large end down- 
ward. The fire in the smoke-house should be well kept 
up. Hickory or oak is the best wood for this purpose. 
On no account use pine, spruce, fir, or hemlock. Corn- 
cobs are excellent for smoking meat. 

Sew up the hams closely in thick cotton cloth — or 
canvas covers, and then white-wash them. 

Tongues may be pickled and smoked as above. Also 
beef. 



HOG'S HEAD CHEESE.— Hog's head cheese is 
always made at what is called " killing-time." To make 
four cheeses of moderate size, take one large hog's head, 
two sets of feet, and the noses of all the pigs that have 



448 ADDITIONAL BECEIPTS. 

been killed that day. Clean them well, and then boil 
them to rags. Having drained off the liquid through a 
cullender, spread out the things in a large dish ; and care- 
fully remove all the bones, even to the smallest pieces. 
With a chopper, mince the meat as small as possible, and 
season it to your taste with pepper, salt, powdered cloves, 
and some chopped sage or sweet marjoram. Having 
divided the meat into four equal parts, tie up each portion 
tightly in a clean coarse towel, and press it into a compact 
cake, by putting on heavy weights. It will be fit for use 
next day. In a cool dry place it will keep all winter. It 
requires no farther cooking, and is eaten sliced at break- 
fast, or luncheon. 



FRYING FISH.— Fish should be fried in fresh butter 
or lard; a large allowance of which must be put by itself 
into the frying-pan, and held over a clear fire till it be- 
comes so hot as to boil hard in the pan. Till it bubbles, 
the fish must not be put in. They must first be dried 
separately, in a clean cloth, and then scored on the back, 
and slightly dredged with flour. Unless the butter or 
lard for frying is sufficient in quantity to cover the fish 
well, and bear them up, they will sink heavily to the bot- 
tom of the pan, and perhaps stick there and burn. Also, 
if there is not fat enough, the fish will absorb all of what 
there is, and be disagreeably greasy. 

AXJAR PICKLES.— Take a variety of young fruits 
or vegetables, and put them into strong salt and water 
for three days; stirring them well, night and morning. 
Then take them out, and spread them on trays, or old 
servers, or large flat dishes; taking care that they do not 
touch each other. Set them out in the sun every fine 
morning, and let them remain till sunset ; but not if it 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 449 

becomes damp, or even cloudy. Do this till they are 
perfectly dry. Then wash them well in cold water, drain 
them, and wipe them separately with a coarse cloth. Put 
them into large jars. To a three gallon jar, put in half a 
pound of horse-radish, sliced, and two cloves of garlic; 
half a hundred small white onions; two ounces of mace; 
one ounce of cloves; two nutmegs powdered; two pounds 
of the best crushed sugar; half a bottle of the best ground 
mustard; one pound of yellow mustard seed; and half a 
pound of green ginger, sliced or scraped. Then take half 
an ounce of turmeric powder; mix it with sufficient vinegar 
to render it liquid, and pour it over the pickles in the jar, 
which must not be more than half full of them. Have 
ready some boiling vinegar of the best cider kind, and 
pour it scalding hot into the jar, till it is three parts full. 
The pickles will expand to their natural size. When 
they are perfectly cold, cork the jar tightly, and seal the 
cork. These pickles will be fit for use in a month; but 
they improve by keeping. 

For this pickle you may use plums, small peaches; 
grapes picked from the stems; cherries; barberries; nas- 
turtion seeds; button tomatas; radish-pods; beans, cauli- 
flowers sliced; white cabbages sliced, small cucumbers; 
and limes or small lemons — mixed together in any pro- 
portion you like. The turmeric powder gives the whole 
a yellow tinge, and is indispensable to this pickle. 

Axjar is an East Indian word. 



FINE PEACH MANGOES.— Take fine, large, free- 
stone peaches. They should be ripe, but not the least 
bruised. The best for this purpose are the large white 
free-stones. Having rubbed off the down with a clean 
flannel, cut the peaches in half, and remove the stones. 
Prepare a mixture, in equal portions, of mace, nutmeg, 
38* 



450 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

and root-ginger; all broken up small, but not powdered. 
Fill with this the cavities of the peaches whence the 
stones were extracted. Then put together the two halves 
of each peach, (making them fit exactly,) and tie them 
round with coarse thread or fine twine. If you choose, 
you may stick the outside of the peaches all over with 
cloves. Put them into stone jars, filling each jar rather 
more than three-quarters full; and laying among them 
little thin muslin bags of turmeric to colour them yellow. 
If you prefer to colour them red, tie up some cochineal 
in thin muslin bags. 

Fill up the jars to the top with cold vinegar of the best 
quality — real white wine vinegar, if you are sure it is real. 
If the pickles are to be sent to a distant place, or to a 
warmer climate, boil the vinegar, and pour it on, scalding 
hot. Close the jars immediately; sealing the corks with 
red cement, and tie a bladder tightly over the top of each. 

These peach mangoes will be fit for use in two months. 



TO PICKLE PEPPERS, SMALL CUCUMBERS, 
AND BEANS. — Put all these vegetables together into a 
brine strong enough to bear up an egg to the surface ; and 
let them stay in it for three days. Then take them out, 
and lay them in cold water for an hour. Change that 
water for fresh, and let them remain another hour. Do 
this a third or fourth time. 

Having washed them well in a fresh water, put them 
into a preserving-kettle, (one lined with delft-porcelain 
is best,) and surround and cover them with fresh cabbage 
leaves, or vine-leaves. Fill up -the kettle with cider- 
vinegar mixed with an equal quantity of water; and 
during four hours let them simmer without boiling. 
Then take them off the fire ; take them out of the kettle, 
transfer them to broad pans, and pour the vinegar over 
them. When they are cold, return the pickles to the 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 451 

kettle, (having first washed it out clean,) and scald them 
four times with fresh vinegar boiled for the purpose in 
another vessel. When cold, put them into jars, (three 
parts full,) and pour on fresh vinegar till it reaches the 
top. Lay among the pickles, mace; nutmegs broken 
small ; mustard seed ; and whole white-pepper-corns, tied 
up in thin white muslin bags. 

PICKLED ONIONS.—Take small button-onions; 
remove the outer skin, and lay the onions in dry salt for 
twenty-four hours. Then soak off the salt, in several 
waters ; wash them well ; and put them into a porcelain 
kettle, with equal quantities of vinegar and water. Sim- 
mer them till tender. Then take them out; drain them; 
and, returning them to the kettle, scald them with fresh 
vinegar boiled in another vessel. When cold, take them out, 
drain them again ; put them into wide-mouthed jars, and 
fill up with cold vinegar. Place among them thin muslin 
bags with mace and broken nutmegs. On the top of each 
jar, put a table-spoonful of sweet oil. Cover them tightly. 

PICKLED PLUMS or DAMSONS.— The fruit must 
be large, fine, fully ripe, and with no blemishes. To every 
quart of plums allow a quarter of a pound of loaf-sugar 
powdered, and a pint of the best cider vinegar. Damsons 
being more acid will require half a pound of sugar. Put 
the fruit with the sugar and vinegar into a preserving 
kettle, adding little bags with some broken pieces of cin- 
namon and some blades of mace, and, if you choose, a few 
cloves. Give them one boil up, and skim them well. Put 
them warm into stone jars, and cover them closely at once. 
By winter they will be fit for use. 

Another ivay. — Is to pack a jar more than three-fourths 
full with layers of ripe plums or damsons, and thick layers 



452 ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 

of powdered sugar between. Fill up with cold vinegar, 
and cover them tightly. 



PICKLED CHERRIES.— Take large, fine, red cherries, 
perfectly ripe, and cut the stems about an inch long. Put 
the cherries into jars with layers of powdered sugar be- 
tween each layer of fruit, interspersing them with little, 
thin muslin bags of broken cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg. 
The jars should be three-quarters full of cherries and 
sugar. Fill up with cold vinegar, and cover them closely. 



TO KEEP STRING BEANS AND GREEN PEAS. 

—String the beans, (which should be full grown but not 
old,) and cut them into three pieces — not more. Pack 
them in wide-mouthed stone-jars; a layer of beans and 
a thin layer of fine salt. The day before they are to be 
cooked, take out a sufficient quantity, and soak them at 
least twenty -four hours in a pan of cold water, changing 
the water several times, till it no longer tastes salt. Having 
drained them well, boil the beans till quite tender. Then 
take them up, drain off the water thoroughly, so as to 
have the beans as dry as possible. Next put them into a 
sauce-pan, with a piece of fresh butter and a little black 
pepper. Cover the pan, and stew them in the butter till 
they almost come to a boil. 

Green peas may be kept in a similar manner. They 
should be fresh and young. When you take them out 
of the salt, soak them, as above, for twenty-four hours or 
more ; changing the water till it tastes quite fresh. Boil 
them soft; then drain them, and stew them a while with 
butter and pepper. 

You may, while boiling, add a very little soda to the 
peas or beans. This will green and soften them. Too 
much soda will give them a disagreeable taste, and render 
them unfit to eat. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 453 

SCOTCH SHORT-CAKE.*— Take a pound of Zante 
currants; and, after they are well picked and washed, 
dry them on a large dish before the fire, or on the top 
of a stove. Instead of currants, you may use sultana or 
seedless raisins cut in half. When well dried, dredge 
the fruit profusely with flour to prevent its clodding while 
baking. Have ready a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, powdered 
mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Sift two quarts of flour, 
and spread it to dry at the fire. Cut up a pound of the 
best fresh butter; put it into a clean sauce-pan, and melt 
it over the fire; shaking it round and taking care that it 
does not burn. Put the flour into a large pan, and mix 
with it a pound of powdered white sugar. Pour the 
melted butter warm into the midst of the flour and sugar; 
and with a large spoon or a broad knife mix the whole 
thoroughly into a soft dough or paste, without using a 
drop of water. Next sprinkle in the fruit, a handful at 
a time, (stirring hard between each handful) and finish 
with a heaped tea-spoonful of spice, mixed in a large 
glass of brandy. 

Strew some flour on your paste-board ; lay the lump 
of dough upon it, flour your hands, and knead it a while 
on all sides. Then cut it in half, and roll out each sheet 
about an inch thick. With a jagging-iron cut it into 
large squares, ovals, triangles, or any form you please, 
and prick the surface handsomely, with a fork. Butter 
some square pans, put in the cakes, and bake them brown. 

For currants and raisins, you may substitute citron 
cut into slips and floured. This cake will be found very 
fine if the receipt is exactly followed. In cold weather it 
keeps well '; and packed in a tin or wooden box, may be 
sent many hundred miles, for Thanksgiving-day, Christ- 
mas, or New Year's. 

* This receipt, though inserted somewhat out of place, is too 
good to "be omitted. 



454 the lady's receipt-book. 

This cake will be greatly improved by adding to the 
other ingredients the grated yellow rind of two lemons, and 
their juice. For the brandy you may substitute a wine- 
glass of rose-water. 



RICE WAFFLES.— Take a tea-cup and a half, or a 

common sized tumbler-full and a half, of rice that has 
been well boiled, and warm it in a pint of rich milk, stir- 
ring it till smooth and thoroughly mixed. Then remove 
it from the fire, and stir in a pint of cold milk and a small 
teaspoonful of salt. Beat four eggs very light, and stir 
them into the mixture, in turn with sufficient rice flour to 
make a thick batter. Bake it in a waffle-iron. Send 
them to table hot; butter them; and eat them with 
powdered sugar and cinnamon, prepared in a small bowl 
for the purpose. 



CORN-STARCH PUDDING.— Take four heaped 
table-spoonfuls of corn-starch, (to be had of most grocers,) 
and mix it with cold milk to a thin smooth paste. Then 
set on the fire a quart of rich unskimmed milk, and, 
while it is heating, beat two eggs, and add them to the 
corn-starch paste. When the milk boils, remove it from 
the fire, and stir in two table-spoonfuls of sugar, and add, 
gradually, the eggs and starch. It will stiffen as you 
stir. Put it immediately into moulds, and set it to cool 
till dinner-time. Eat it cold, with rich milk or cream. 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, &c. 



HINTS ON HEATING OVENS, AND BAKING.— 

Brick ovens are generally heated with dry fagots or 
small branches, or with light split wood. For baking 
bread, the oven-wood must be heavier than for pies. A 
heap of wood should be placed in the centre of the oven 
on the brick floor, and then set on fire. While the wood 
is burning, the door of the oven must be left open. When 
the wood is all burnt down, and reduced to a mass of 
small red coals, the oven will be very hot. Then shovel 
out all the coals and sweep the oven floor with a broom, 
till it is perfectly clean, and entirely free from ashes. 
Try the heat within. For baking bread, the floor of the 
oven should look red ; and a little flour thrown in should 
burn brown immediately. If you can hold your hand 
within the mouth of the oven as long as you can dis- 
tinctly count twenty, the heat is about right. Pies, pud- 
dings, &c, require less heat. When a brick oven is used, 
a peel, or large broad-bladed, long-handled wooden shovel 
is necessary for putting in the bread, pies, &c, placing 
them on the broad or shovel-end of the peel, and then de- 
positing them on the oven floor. Then close up the door 
of the oven, and leave the things to bake. When done, 
slip the peel beneath them, and hand them out on it. 

To bake in an iron Dutch oven, (a large deep, cast-iron 
pan, with a handle, a close-fitting lid, and standing on three 
or four feet,) you must first stand the lid upright before 
a clear fire to heat the inside ; and it will be best if the 
oven itself is also stood up before the fire for the same 
purpose. This should be done while the article to be 
baked is preparing, that it may be put in as soon as it is 

455 



456 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

ready. The oven may be suspended to the crane, and 
hung over the fire, or it may be set on a bed of hot wood- 
coals in the corner of the hearth. As soon as the loaf or 
pie is in, put on the lid of the oven, and cover it all over 
with hot coals, replenishing it with more live coals as the 
baking proceeds. If you find it too hot on the top, deaden 
it with ashes. If the oven stands on the hearth, keep up 
the heat at the bottom, by additional live coals placed 
beneath it. Whether the oven is hung over the fire, or 
stood on the hearth, there must always be hot coals all 
over the lid, the hottest near the edge. 

To bake on a griddle, you may either hang it over the 
fire, or set it over hot coals on the hearth. Most griddles 
have feet. The fire must be quite clear and bright, and 
free from smoke, or the cakes will be blackened, and have 
a disagreeable taste. The griddle must be perfectly clean ; 
and while you are baking, it will require frequent scrap- 
ing, with a broad knife. If it is well scraped after every 
cake is taken off, it will not want greasing, as there will 
be no stickiness. Otherwise, some butter tied up in a 
clean rag and laid on a saucer, must be kept at hand all 
the time, to rub over the griddle between the baking of 
each cake ; for butter, lard, or nice beef or veal-dripping 
may be substituted, but it will not be so fine. Never 
grease with mutton-fat, as it will communicate the taste 
of tallow. A bit of the fat of fresh pork may do, (stuck 
on a fork,) but salt pork will give the outside of the 
cakes a disagreeable saltness, and therefore should not be 
used. 

A griddle may be placed in the oven of a hot stove. 
Some close stoves have a hole in the top with a flat lid or 
cover, which lid can be used as a griddle. 

The tin-reflecting-ovens (with shelves for the pies and 
cakes) that are used for baking in the summer, and that, 
having a furnace beneath, and a chimney-pipe, can be 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 457 

set out of doors, so that the kitchen may not be kept hot, 
are very good for things that will bake soon, and that do 
not require what is called a strong, solid heat. But they 
are not effective unless the inside is kept very bright ; 
otherwise it will not reflect the heat. These tin ovens 
should (as well as tin roasters) be cleaned thoroughly and 
scoured bright with sand every time they are used. 

The art of baking with anthracite, (or any other mineral 
coal,) can only be acquired by practice. The above hints 
on baking, refer exclusively to wood fires. 

When a charcoal furnace is used for baking, stewing, 
or any sort of cooking, it should either be set out in the 
open air, or the door of the kitcjben must be kept open all 
the time. The vapour of charcoal in a close room is so 
deleterious as to cause death. 

DRIED CORN MEAL YEAST CAKES.— Half a 

pound of fresh hops. — Four quarts of water. — A pint of 
wheat or rye flour. — Half a pint of strong fresh yeast, from 
the brewer or baker. — Three pints, or more of Indian meal, 
Boil half a pound of fresh hops in four quarts of water, 
till the liquid is reduced to two quarts. Strain it into a 
pan, and mix in sufficient wheat flour to make a thin 
batter ; adding half a pint of the best yeast you can pro- 
cure. Leave it to ferment ; and when the fermentation 
is over, stir in sufficient Indian meal to make a moderately 
stiff dough. Cover it, and set in a warm place to rise. 
When it has become very light, roll it out into a square 
sheet an inch thick, and cut it into flat cakes, about four 
inches square. Spread them out separately, on a large 
dish • and let them dry slowly, in a cool place where there 
is no sun. While drying, turn them five or six times a- 
day. When they are quite dry and hard, put them separ- 
ately into brown paper bags, and keep them in a box 
closely covered, and in a place not the least damp. 
39 



458 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

When you want them to use for yeast, dissolve in a 
little warm water, one or more of the cakes, in proportion 
to the quantity of bread you intend making. When it is 
quite dissolved, stir it hard, thicken it with a little wheat 
flour, cover it, and place it near the fire to rise, before 
you use it. Then mix it with the flour, according to the 
usual manner of making bread. One yeast cake is enough 
for two quarts of meal or flour. 

This way of preserving yeast is very convenient for 
keeping through the summer; or for conveying to a dis- 
tance. 



EXCELLENT HOME-MADE YEAST.— Yeast 

should always be kept in a glass bottle or a stone jug, 
and never in earthen or metal. Before you make fresh 
yeast, empty entirely the vessel that has contained the 
last ; and if of stone, scald it twice with boiling water, 
in which it will be well to mix a little clear lye. Then 
rinse it with cold water, till perfectly clean. If you have 
not used lye in scalding it, dissolve some potash or pearl- 
ash in the rinsing-water, to remove any acidity that may 
linger about the vessel, and may therefore spoil the new 
yeast. If you keep your yeast in glass bottles, the water 
must be warm, but not hot ; as scalding water may crack 
them : also melt some potash or pearlash in this water. 
The vessel for keeping it being purified, proceed to make 
your yeast. Have ready, in a kettle over the fire, two 
quarts of boiling water ; put into it a very large handful 
of hops, (as fine and fresh as possible,) and let the water 
boil again with the hops in it, for twenty minutes or more. 
Sift into a pan three pints of wheat flour. Strain the 
liquor from the hops into a large bowl, and pour half of 
it hot over the flour. Stir it well, and press out all the 
lumps till it is quite smooth. Let the other half of the 
liquid stand till it is cool, and then pour it gradually to 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 459 

the rest; mixing it well, by stirring as you proceed. 
Then take half a pint of good strong yeast — brewers' or 
bakers' yeast, if you can get it fresh; if not, you must 
use some that has been left from your last making, pro- 
vided it is not the least sour; stir this yeast into the mix- 
ture of hop-water and flour ; put it immediately into your 
jug or bottles, and cork it loosely till the fermentation is 
over, (which should be in an hour,) and it will then be 
fit for use. Afterwards cork it tightly. It will keep better 
if you put a raisin or two into the bottom of each bottle, 
before you pour in the fresh yeast. Into a stone jug put 
half a dozen raisins. 

All yeast is better and more powerful for being fresh. 
It is better to make it frequently, (the trouble being little,) 
than to risk its becoming sour by endeavouring to keep 
it too long. When sour, it becomes weak and watery, and 
tastes and smells disagreeably, and will never make light 
bread; besides being very unwholesome. The acidity 
may be somewhat corrected by stirring in some dissolved 
pearlash, sal-eratus, or soda, immediately before the yeast 
is used ; but it is better to have it good and fresh, with- 
out the necessity of any corrective. Yeast should always 
be kept in a cool place. 

Those who live in towns where there are breweries 
have no occasion to make their own yeast during the 
brewing season; and in summer they can every day 
supply themselves with fresh yeast from the baker's. It 
is only in country places where there are neither brewers 
nor bakers that it is expedient to make it at home. For 
home-made yeast, we know the above receipt to be excel- 
lent. 

Sweet cakes, buns, rusks, &c, require stronger and 
fresher yeast than bread ; the sugar will otherwise retard 
their rising. 



460 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

INDIAN BREAD, OR PONE.— Four quarts of In- 
dian meal sifted. — A large half pint of wheat flour. — A 
heaping table-spoonful of salt. — Half a pint of strong 
fresh yeast. — A quart of warm water. — Sift into a large 
deep pan, the Indian meal and the wheat flour ; mixing 
them well. Make a hole in the centre. The water must 
he warm, but not hot." Mix it with the yeast, and pour 
them into the hole in the midst of the meal. Take a 
spoon, and with it mix into the liquid enough of the sur- 
rounding meal to make a thin batter, which you must 
stir till it is quite smooth, and free from lumps. Then 
strew a handful of wheat flour over the surface, scattering 
it thinly, so as to cover the whole. Warm a clean cloth, 
and lay it folded over the top of the pan. Then set it in 
a warm place to rise, nearer the fire in winter than in 
summer. When it is quite light, and has risen so that 
the flour on the surface is cracked, strew on the salt, and 
begin to form the whole mass into a dough ; commencing 
round the hole that contains the batter, and adding, gra- 
dually, sufficient lukewarm water (which you must have 
ready for the purpose) to mix it of the proper consistence. 
When the whole is completely mixed, and the batter in 
the centre is thoroughly incorporated with the dough, 
knead it hard for at least half an hour. Then, having 
formed the dough into a round lump in the middle of the 
pan, strew a little more flour thinly over it. Cover it, 
and set it again in a warm place for half an hour. Then 
flour your paste-board, divide the dough equally, and 
make it into two loaves. Have the oven ready. Put in 
the loaves directly, and bake them about two hours or 
more. Indian meal requires always more baking than 
wheat. When you take them out, it is well to wrap each 
loaf in a clean, coarse towel, previously sprinkled with 
cold water; and rolled up damp till the bread is baked. 
Having thus wrapped up the loaves, stand them on end 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 461 

to cool slowly. The damp cloths will prevent the crust 
from hardening too much while the loaves are cooling. 

All Indian bread, and every sort of Indian cake is best 
when quite fresh. 

Excellent bread may be made of equal proportions of 
wheat, rye flour, and Indian ; or of three parts wheat and 
one part Indian. All bread should be kept closely se- 
cluded from the air, wrapped in cloths, and put away in 
boxes or baskets with tightly-fitting lids. 

Should you find the dough sour, (either from the heat 
of the weather, or from standing too long,) you may re- 
cover it, by dissolving in a little lukewarm water, a tea- 
spoonful of pearlash, sal-eratus, or soda. Sprinkle this 
water all over the dough. Then knead it in, so that it 
may be dispersed throughout. Then put it into the oven 
as soon as possible ; first tasting the dough, to discover 
if the sourness is entirely removed. If not, mix in a little 
more pearlash, and then taste it again. Take care not to 
put too much of any of these alkaline substances, lest they 
communicate a disagreeable, soapy taste to the bread. 

When you buy corn meal, it will keep better if the 
whole is sifted as soon as you get it. Avoid buying much 
at a time, unless you can keep it in a very cool place. 
When sour it is unfit to eat. 



INDIAN RYE BREAD.— Two quarts of Indian meal. 
Two quarts of rye meal. — Three pints of milk or water. 
Two teaspoonfuls of salt. — Half a pint of strong fresh yeast. 
Having sifted the rye and Indian meal into a large pan, 
mix them well together, adding the salt. Boil the milk 
or water in a sauce-pan, and when scalding hot pour it on 
the meal, and stir the whole very hard. If too stiff, add 
a little more warm water. Let it stand till it becomes 
only of a lukewarm heat, and then stir in the yeast. Knead 
39* 



462 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

the mixture into a stiff dough, and knead it long and hard 
for at least half an hour. Then cover the pan with a 
thick cloth that has been previously warmed, and set it 
near the fire to rise. When the dough is quite light, and 
cracked all over the top, take it out of the pan ) divide 
the mass in half; make it into two loaves; knead each 
loaf well for ten minutes or more; and then cover and set 
them again near the fire, for about half an hour. By this 
time have the oven ready, put in the loaves directly, and 
bake them at least an hour and a half. This bread is 
considered very wholesome. 

Should you find the dough sour, you may rectify it by 
kneading in a tea-spoonful of soda or pearlash, dissolved 
in a little warm water. 



INDIAN WHEAT BREAD.— This is made in the 
above manner, substituting wheat for rye flour. 

In any sort of home-made bread (either white or brown) 
a handful or more of Indian meal will be found an im- 
provement, rendering it moist and sweet. 



BOSTON BYE AND INDIAN BREAD.— Two quarts 
of Indian meal. — Two quarts of rye meal. — Half a pint 
of strong fresh yeast. — Half a pint of West India mo- 
lasses. — A small table-spoonful of salt. Sift the rye and 
Indian meal into a large pan or wooden bowl ; and mix 
them well together, adding the salt. Have ready half a 
pint of water, warm but not hot. Mix with it the mo- 
lasses, and then stir into it the yeast. Make a hole in 
the middle of the pan of meal ; pour in the liquid ; and 
then with a spoon work into it a portion of the flour that 
surrounds the hole, till the liquid in the centre becomes 
a thick batter. Sprinkle the top with rye meal ; lay a 
thick cloth over the pan, and set it in a warm place to 



etc. 463 

rise. In three or four hours it should Tbe light enough to 
appear cracked all over the surface. Then pour into the 
middle (by degrees) about a pint of warm water, (it must 
not be hot,) and as you pour, mix it well all through 
the dough, till the whole becomes a round mass. Sprinkle 
some rye flour on the dough, and having floured your 
hands, knead it long and hard, (at least half an hour, 
and after it ceases to stick to your hands,) turning it over 
as you proceed. Then sprinkle the dough again with flour, 
cover it, and again set it in a warm place to rise. Have 
the oven ready, and of the proper heat, so that the bread 
may be put in as soon as it has completely risen the 
second time. When perfectly light, the dough will stand 
high, and the surface will be cracked all over. This quan- 
tity will be suflicient for a common-sized loaf. Set it 
directly into the oven, and bake it about two hours. 
When bread has done rising, it will fall again if not put 
into the oven. As soon as it is done, wrap it immediately 
in a clean coarse towel wrung out of cold water, and stand 
it up on end till it is cool. 

This is a palatable, cheap, and wholesome bread. 

It may be mixed thinner, with a larger portion of water, 
and baked in a deep tin or iron pan. 

If the dough should have stood so long as to become 
sour (which it will, if mixed over night) restore it by 
kneading in a small tea-spoonful of pearlash or sal-eratus 
melted in a little warm water. 



EG-G PONE.— Three eggs. — A quart of Indian meal. — 
A large table-spoonful of fresh butter. — A small tea-spoon- 
ful of salt. — A half-pint (or more) of milk. Beat the eggs 
very light, and mix them with the milk. Then stir in, gra- 
dually, the Indian meal ; adding the salt and butter. It 
must not be a batter, but a soft dough, just thick enough 



464 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

to Tbe stirred well with a spoon. If too thin, add more In- 
dian meal ; if too stiff, thin it with a little more milk. Beat 
or stir it long and hard. Butter a tin or iron pan. Put 
the mixture into it ; and set the pan immediately into an 
oven, which must be moderately hot at first, and the heat 
increased afterward. A Dutch oven is best for this pur- 
pose. It should bake an hour and a half or two hours, 
in proportion to its thickness. Send it to table hot, and 
cut into slices. Eat it with butter, or molasses. 



INDIAN MUSH. — Have ready on a clear fire, a pot 
of boiling water. Stir into it, by degrees, (a handful at 
at a time,) sufficient Indian meal to make a very thick 
porridge, and then add a very small portion of salt, allow- 
ing not more than a level tea-spoonful to a quart of meal. 
You must keep the pot boiling all the time you are stir- 
ring in the meal ; and between every handful stir hard 
with the mush-stick, (a round stick about half a yard long, 
flattened at the lower end,) as, if not well stirred, the 
mush will be lumpy. After it is sufficiently thick and 
smooth, keep it boiling an hour longer, stirring it occasion- 
ally. Then cover the pot closely, and hang it higher up 
the chimney, or set it on hot coals on the hearth, so as to 
simmer it slowly for another hour. The goodness and 
wholesomeness of mush depends greatly on its being long 
and thoroughly boiled. It should also be made very thick. 
If well made, and well cooked, it is wholesome and nutri- 
tious ; but the contrary, if thin, and not sufficiently boiled. 
It is not too long to have it three or four hours over the 
fire, first boiling, and then simmering. On the contrary 
it will be better for it. The coarser the corn meal the 
less cooking it requires. Send it to table hot, and in a 
deep dish. Eat it with sweet milk, buttermilk, or cream; 
or with butter and sugar, or with butter and molasses ; 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 465 

making a hole in the middle of jour plate of mush; put- 
ting some butter into the hole ; and then adding the sugar 
or molasses. 

Cold mush that has been left, may be cut into slices, or 
mouthfuls, and fried next day. in butter, or in nice drip- 
pings of veal, beef, or pork ; but not mutton or lamb. 

INDIAN HASTY PUDDING.— Put two quarts of 
milk into a clean pot or sauce-pan. Set it over the fire, 
adding a level tea-spoonful of salt, and, when it comes to a 
boil, stir in a lump of fresh butter about the size of a 
goose-egg. Then add (a handful at a time) sufficient 
Indian meal to make it very thick, stirring it all the while 
with a mush-stick. Keep it boiling well, and continue to 
throw in Indian meal till it is so thick that the stick stands 
upright in it. Then send it to table hot, and eat it with 
milk, cream, or molasses and butter. What is left may 
be cut into slices, and fried next day, or boiled in a bag. 



INDIAN MEAL GRUEL.— This is an excellent food 
for the sick. Having sifted some Indian meal, mix in a 
quart bowl three table-spoonfuls of the meal with six of 
cold water. Stir it smooth, and press out the lumps 
against the side of the bowl. Have ready a very clean 
sauce-pan, entirely free from grease, with a pint of boiling 
water. Pour this, scalding hot, on the mixture in the 
bowl, a little at a time, and stir it well, adding a pinch 
of salt. Then put the whole back into the sauce-pan. 
Set it on hot coals, and stir it till it boils, making the 
spoon go down to the bottom, to prevent the gruel from 
burning. After it has come to a boil, let it continue 
boiling half an hour, stirring it frequently, and skimming 
it. Give it to the invalid warm, in a bowl or tumbler, to 
be eaten with a teaspoon. It may be sweetened with a 



466 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

little sugar. When the physician permits, some grated 
nutmeg may be added ; also a very little wine. 



RYE MUSH. — To make smooth rye mush, sift a quart 
or more of rye meal into a pan, and gradually pour in 
sufficient cold water to make a very thick batter, stirring 
it hard with a spoon as you proceed, and carefully press- 
ing out all the lumps against the side of the pan. Add 
a very little salt. The batter must be so thick at the last 
that you can scarcely stir it. Then thin it with a little 
more water, and see that it is quite smooth. Rye, and 
also wheat flour, have a disposition to be more lumpy than 
corn meal, when made into mush. When thoroughly 
mixed and stirred, put it into a pot, place it over the fire, 
and boil it well, stirring it with a mush-stick till it comes 
to a hard boil; then place it in a diminished heat, and 
simmer it slowly till you want to dish it up. Eat it 
warm, with butter and molasses, or with sweet milk, or 
fresh buttermilk. Rye mush is considered very whole- 
some, particularly in cases of dyspepsia. 



COMMON HOE-CAKE.— Take an earthen or tin 
pan, and half fill it with coarse Indian meal, which had 
best be sifted in. Add a little salt. Have ready a kettle 
of boiling water. Pour into the Indian meal sufficient 
hot water (a little at a time) to make a stiff dough, stir- 
ring it with a spoon as you proceed. It must be tho- 
roughly mixed, and stirred hard. If you want the cakes 
for breakfast, mix this dough over night \ cover the pan, 
and set it in a cool place till morning. If kept warm, it 
may turn sour. Early next morning, as soon as the fire 
is burning well, set the griddle over it, and take out the 
dough, a handful at a time. Flatten and shape it by pat- 
ting it with your hands, till you form it into cakes about 



etc. 467 

the size of a common saucer, and half an inch thick. 
When the griddle is quite hot, lay on it as many cakes 
as it will hold, and bake them brown. When the upper 
side is done, slip a bread knife beneath, and turn them 
over. They must be baked brown on both sides. Eat 
them warm, with buttermilk, sweet milk, butter, molasses, 
or whatever is most convenient. If you intend these cakes 
for dinner or supper, mix them as early in the day as 
you can, and (covering the pan) let them stand in a cool 
place till wanted for baking. In cold weather you may 
cave trouble by mixing over night enough to last the next 
day for breakfast, dinner, and supper ; baking them as 
they are wanted for each meal. Or they may be all 
baked in the morning, and eaten cold; but they are then 
not so palatable as when warm. They will be less liable 
to stick, if before each baking the griddle is dredged with 
wheat flour, or greased with a bit of fat pork stuck on a 
fork. You may cover it all over with one large cake, 
instead of several small ones. 

In America there is seldom a house without a griddle. 
Still, where griddles are not, these cakes may be baked 
on a board standing nearly upright before the fire, and 
supported by a smoothing-iron or a stone placed against 
the back. Where wood fires are used, a good way of 
baking these cakes is to clear a clean place in the hottest 
part of the hearth, and, having wrapped the cake in paper, 
lay it down there, and cover it up with hot red ashes. It 
will bake very well, (replenishing the heat by throwing 
on from time to time a fresh supply of hot ashes,) and 
when taken out of the paper they will be found sweet and 
good. The early settlers of our country frequently baked 
their Indian cakes under the ashes of their wood fires ; 
and the custom is still continued by those who cannot 
yet obtain the means of cooking them more conveni- 
ently. 



468 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

This cake is so called, because in some parts of Ame- 
rica it was customary to bake it on the iron of a hoe, 
stood up before the fire. It is better known by that name 
than by any other. 



COMMON GRIDDLE CAKE.— A quart of Indian 
meal. — Sufficient warm water to make a soft dough.— A 
small tea-spoonful of salt. — Put the Indian meal into a 
pan, and add the salt. Make a hole in the centre of the 
meal, and pour in a little warm water. Then mix it with 
a large, strong spoon, adding, by degrees, water enough 
to make a soft dough. Flour your hands, and knead it 
into a large lump — divide it into two equal portions. 
Flour your paste-board, lay on it the first lump of dough, 
and roll it out about an inch thick. Then, having al- 
ready heated your griddle,) lay the cake upon it, spread- 
ing it evenly, and make it a good round shape. It should 
cover the whole surface of the griddle, which must first 
be greased, either with butter or lard tied in a rag, or 
with a bit of fat fresh pork. Butter it well ; and when 
one side is well browned, turn it on the other, taking- 
care not to break it. Send it to table hot, cut into three- 
cornered pieces — split and butter them. As soon as the 
first cake is sent in, put the other to bake. 

This is one of the plainest and simplest preparations of 
Indian cake, and is very good when warm. 

PLAIN JOHNNY CAKE.— A quart of Indian meal.— 
A pint of warm water. — A level tea-spoonful of salt. — Sift 
a quart of Indian meal into a pan. Make a hole in the 
middle, and pour in a pint of warm water, adding the 
salt. With a spoon mix the meal and water gradually 
into a soft dough. Stir it very hard for a quarter of an 
hour or more, till it becomes light and spongy. Then 



INDIAN MEAL "PREPARATIONS, ETC. 469 

spread the dough, smooth and evenly, on a stout, flat 
board. A piece of the head of a flour barrel will serve 
for this purpose. Place the board nearly (but not quite) 
upright, and set a smoothing-iron or a stone against the 
back to support it. Bake it well. When done, cut it into 
squares, and send it hot to table, split and buttered. 
You ma}^ eat molasses with it. 



NICE JOHNNY CAKE.— A quart of sifted Indian 
meal. — A small teacup of molasses, (West India is best.) — 
Two large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter. — A tea-spoonful 
of ground ginger. — Some boiling water. Having sifted 
the meal into a pan, rub the butter into it; add the mo- 
lasses and ginger, and pour on, by degrees, sufficient boil- 
ing water to make a moderately soft dough. It must be 
stirred very hard. Then grease with fresh butter a board 
of sufficient size, spread the dough thickly upon it, and 
stand it nearly upright to bake before the fire, placing a 
flat-iron against the back of the board. The cake must 
be very well baked, taking care that the surface does not 
burn, while the inside is soft and raw. Cut it into squares 
when done, and send them hot to table, split and buttered. 

The johnny-cake board had best be placed so as slightly 
to slant backwards ; otherwise the upper part of tho, cake, 
being opposite to the hottest part of the fire, may bake 
too fast for the lower part. 

VERY PLAIN INDIAN DUMPLINGS.— Sift some 
Indian meal into a pan ; add about a salt-spoon of salt to 
each quart of meal ; and scald it with sufficient boiling 
water to make a stiff dough. Pour in the water gra- 
dually; stirring as you pour. When the dough becomes 
a stiff lump, divide it into equal portions; flour your 
hands, and make it into thick, flat dumplings about as 



470 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

large round as the top of a glass tumbler, or a breakfast 
cup. Dredge the dumplings on all sides with flour, put 
them into a pot of boiling water (if made sufficiently stiff 
they need not be tied in cloths,) and keep them boiling 
hard till thoroughly done. Try them with a fork, which 
must come out quite clean, and with no clamminess stick- 
ing to it. They are an excellent appendage to salt pork 
or bacon, serving them up with the meat; or they. may be 
eaten afterwards with butter and molasses, or with milk 
sweetened well with brown sugar, and flavoured with a 

little ground spice. 

— • — 

YERY PLAIN INDIAN BATTER CAKES.— A 

quart of warm water, or of skim milk. — A quart of In- 
dian meal and half a pint of wheat flour, sifted. — A level 
tea-spoonful of salt. Pour the water into a pan ; add the 
salt ; and having mixed together the wheat and Indian 
meal, stir them gradually into the water, a handful at a 
time. It should be about the consistence of buckwheat 
cake or muffin batter. Beat it long and hard. If you 
find it too thick, add alittle more water. Have ready a 
hot griddle, grease it, and bake the cakes on it. They 
should not be larger than the top of a tumbler, or a small 
saucer. Send them to table hot, in even piles, and eat 
them with butter or molasses. 

These are the plainest sort of Indian batter cakes ; but 
if well beaten and properly baked, they will be found very 
good, as well as economical. It is an improvement to mix 
them with milk instead of water. 



INDIAN MUFFINS.— A pint and a half of yellow 
Indian meal, sifted. — A handful of wheat flour. — A quarter 
of a pound of fresh butter. — A quart of milk.' — Four 
eggs. — A very small tea-spoonful of salt. Put the milk 
into a saucepan. Cut the butter into it. Set it over the 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 471 

fire and warm it till the butter is very soft, "but not till it 
melts. Then take it off, stir it well, till all mixed, and 
set it away to cool. . Beat four eggs very light ; and when 
the milk is cold, stir them into it, alternately with the 
meal, a little at a time, of each. Add the salt. Beat the 
whole very hard after it is all mixed. Then butter some 
muffin-rings on the inside. Set them in a hot oven, or 
on a heated griddle ; pour some of the batter into each ; and 
bake the muffins well. Send them hot to table, continu- 
ing to bake while a fresh supply is wanted. Pull them 
open with your fingers, and eat them with butter, to which 
you may add molasses or honey. These muffins will be 
found excellent, and can be prepared in a very short time ; 
for instance, in three quarters or half an hour before break- 
fast or tea. 

This mixture may be baked in waffle-irons, as waffles. 
Butter them, and have on the table a glass bowl with 
powdered sugar and powdered cinnamon, to eat with these 
waffles.- 



VIRGINIA GRIDDLE CAKES.— A quart of Indian 
meal. — Two large table-spoonfuls of wheat flour. — A heaped 
salt-spoon of salt. — A piece of fresh butter, about two 
ounces. — Four eggs. — A pint, or more, of milk. Sift the 
Indian meal into a large pan; mix with it the wheat flour; 
and add the salt. "Warm the milk in a small saucepan, 
but do not let it come to a boil. When it begins to sim- 
mer, take it off, and put the butter into it, stirring it about 
till well mixed. Then stir in the meal, a little at a time, 
and let it cool while you are beating the eggs. As soon 
as they are beaten very light, add them gradually to the 
mixture, stirring the whole very harcT It must be a light 
batter, and may require more milk. 

Having heated the griddle well by placing it over the 
fire or in the oven of a hot stove, rub it over with some 



472 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC, 

fresh butter, tied in a clean white rag, and pour on a large 
ladle-full of the batter. When the cake has baked brown, 
turn it, with a cake-turner, and bake the other side. Then 
take it off, and put it on a hot plate. Grease the griddle 
again, and put on another cake ; and so on till you have 
three or four ready to send to table for a beginning. Con- 
tinue to bake, and send in hot cakes as long as they are 
wanted. Eat them with butter ; to which you may add 

molasses or honey. 

— # — 

MISSOURI CAKES.— Three large pints of yellow 
Indian meal. — A pint of cold water. — A tea-spoonful of 
salt. — A level tea-spoonful of sal-eratus or soda dissolved 
in a little warm water. — A large table-spoonful of beef- 
dripping, or lard. — A small pint and a half of warm 
water. Sift three large pints (a little more than three 
pints) of Indian meal into a pan ; add a tea-spoonful of 
salt, a large table-spoonful of lard, or nice dripping of 
roast-beef; and a tea-spoonful of sal-eratus or soda melted 
in a little warm water. Make it into a soft dough with 
a pint of cold water. Then thin it to the consistence of 
a moderate batter, by adding, gradually, not quite a pint 
and a half of warm water. When it is all mixed, Jbeat 
or stir it well, for half an hour. Then have a griddle 
ready over the fire. When hot, grease it with beef-suet, 
or with lard or butter tied in a clean white rag. Put on 
a large ladle-full of the batter, and bake the cakes fast. 
Send them hot to table, about half a dozen at a time, 
seeing that the edges are nicely trimmed. Eat them with 
butter, to which you may add honey or molasses. 

These cakes are excellent; and very convenient, as 
they require neither eggs, milk, nor yeast. They may be 
baked as soon as mixed, or they may stand an hour or 
more. 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 473 

INDIAN SLAP-JACKS.— A quart of yellow Indian 
meal. — Half a pint or more of boiling water.— Half a 
pint of wheat flour. — Three large table-spoonfuls of strong 
fresh yeast. — A heaping salt-spoon of salt. — A level tea- 
spoonful of pearlash, soda, or sal-eratus, dissolved in warm 
water. — Lard for frying. Sift the Indian meal into a pan, 
and add the salt. Then pour on the boiling water, and 
stir it well. When it has cooled a little, and become only 
milk-warm, stir in the wheat flour, and add the yeast. 
Stir it long and hard. Cover the pan, and set it near the 
fire. When the mixture has risen quite light, and is 
covered with bubbles, add the dissolved pearlash to puff 
it still more. Have ready a hot frying-pan over the fire ; 
grease it with a little lard, and put in a portion of the 
mixture, sufficient for one large cake nearly the size of the 
pan, or two small ones. Spread the mixture thin, and fry 
it brown. Send the cakes hot to table, and eat them with 
butter or molasses. 

This is one of the plainest sorts of Indian cake, but if 
properly made, and baked, will be found very good. 



INDIAN FLAPPERS.— A quart of sifted Indian 
meal. — A handful of wheat flour. — A quart of milk. — 
Four eggs. — A heaping salt-spoon of salt. Mix together 
the Indian and wheat meal, adding the salt. Beat the 
eggs light in another pan, and then stir them a little at 
a time into the milk, alternately with the meal, a handful 
at a time. Stir the whole very hard at the last. Have 
ready a hot griddle, and bake the cakes on it in the 
manner of buckwheat cakes, or crumpets; greasing or 
scraping the griddle always before you put on a fresh 
ladle-full of batter. Make all the cakes the same size, 
and when done trim the edges nicely with a knife. Send 
them to table hot, laid one on another evenly, buttered 
40* 



474 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

and cut in half. Or they may be buttered after they go 
to table. 



INDIAN CRUMPETS.— A quart of Indian meal.— 
Half a pint of wheat flour. — A quart of milk. — A heap- 
ing salt-spoonful of salt. — Three eggs. — Two large table- 
spoonfuls of strong fresh yeast. — Warm the milk. Sift the 
Indian meal and the flour into a pan ; and mix them well. 
Then stir them into the milk, a handful at a time ; adding 
the salt. Beat the eggs very light in another pan, and 
then stir them, gradually, into the milk and meal. Lastly, 
add the yeast. Stir the whole well ; then cover it, and 
set it to rise in a warm place, such as a corner of the 
hearth. When it has become very light, and is covered 
with bubbles, have the griddle ready heated to begin to 
bake the cakes ; first greasing the griddle. For each 
crumpet pour on a large ladle-full of batter. Send them 
to table several on a plate, and as hot as possible. Eat 
them with butter, to which you may add molasses or 
honey. 

If the batter should chance to become sour by standing 
too long, you may remedy it by stirring in a level tea- 
spoonful of pearlash, soda, or sal-eratus, dissolved in a 
very little lukewarm water. Then bake it. 



CORN MEAL BREAKFAST CAKES.— A quart 
of Indian meal. — A handful, or more, of wheat flour. — ■ 
A large salt-spoon of salt. — A quart of warm water. — 
An additional pint of lukewarm water. — A bit of pearl- 
ash the size of a hazie-nut, or the same quantity of soda 
or sal-eratus. Mix over night, in a large pan, the In- 
dian meal, the wheat flour and salt. Pour on gradually 
a quart of warm water, (warm but not hot,) and stir it in 
with a large wooden or iron spoon, so as to form a very soft 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 475 

dough. Cover the pan, and set it on the dresser till 
morning. In the morning thin the dough with another 
pint of warm water, so as to make it into a hatter, having 
first dissolved in the water a salt-spoonful of powdered 
pearlash or sal-eratus, or a bit the size of a hazel-nut. 
Beat the mixture hard. Then cover it, and let it stand 
near the fire for a quarter of an hour before you begin to 
bake it. Bake it in thin cakes on a griddle. Send them 
to table hot, and eat them with butter, and molasses or 
honey. 

INDIAN RICE CAKES.— Take equal quantities of 
yellow Indian meal and well boiled rice. Mix them to- 
gether in a pan, the meal and rice alternately, a little at 
a time of each. The boiled rice may be either hot or 
cold ; but it will be rather best to mix it hot. Having 
first mixed it with a spoon, knead it well with your hands ; 
moistening it with a little milk or water, if you find it too 
stiff. Have ready, over the fire, a heated griddle. G-rease 
it with fresh butter tied in a clean white rag ; and having 
made the mixture into flat round cakes, bake them well 
on both sides. Eat them with butter and sugar, or butter 
and molasses, or with butter alone. 



PUMPKIN INDIAN CAKES.- Take equal portions 
of Indian meal, and stewed pumpkin that has been well 
mashed and drained very dry in a sieve or cullender. Put 
the stewed pumpkin into a pan, and stir the meal gradually 
into it, a spoonful at a time, adding a little butter as you 
proceed. Mix the whole thoroughly, stirring it very hard. 
If not thick enough to form a stiff dough, add a little more 
Indian meal. Make it into round, flat cakes, about the size 
of a mufim, and bake them over the fire on a hot griddle 



476 

greased with "butter. Or lay them in a square iron pan, 
and bake them in an oven. 

Send them to table hot, and eat them with butter. 



EXCELLENT BUCKWHEAT CAKES.— A quart of 
buckwheat meal, sifted. — A level tea-spoonful of salt. — A 
small half-pint, or a large handful of Indian meal. — Two 
large table-spoonfuls of strong fresh brewer's yeast, or 
four table-spoonfuls of home-made yeast. — Sufficient luke- 
warm water to make a moderate batter. Mix together 
the buckwheat and Indian meal, and acid the salt. Make 
a hole in the centre of the meal, and pour in the yeast. 
Then stir in gradually, from a kettle, sufficient tepid or 
lukewarm water to make a moderately thick batter when 
united with the yeast. Cover the pan, set it in a warm 
place, and leave it to rise. It should be light in about 
three hours. When it has risen high and is covered with 
bubbles, it is fit to bake. Have ready a clean griddle 
well heated over the fire. Grease it well with a bit of 
fresh butter tied in a clean white rag, and kept on a 
saucer near you. Then dip out a large ladle-full of the 
batter, and bake it on the griddle ; turning it when brown, 
with the cake-turner, and baking it brown on the other 
side. Grease the griddle slightly between baking each 
cake ; or scrape it smooth with a broad knife. As fast 
as you bake the cakes, lay them, several in a pile, on a hot 
plate. Butter them, and if of large size cut them across 
into four pieces. Or send them to table to be buttered 
there. Trim off the edges before they go in. 

If your batter has been mixed over night, and is found 
sour in the morning, dissolve a salt-spoon of pearlash or 
sal-eratus in a little lukewarm water, stir it into the batter, 
let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then bake it. The 
alkali will remove the acidity, and increase the lightness 



etc. 477. 

of the "batter. If you use soda for this purpose it will 
require a tea-spoonful. 

If the batter is kept at night in so cold a place as to 
freeze, it will be unfit for use. Do not grease the griddle 
with meat-fat of any sort. 



NICE RYE BATTER CAKES.— A quart of luke- 
warm milk. — Two eggs. — A large table-spoonful of fresh 
brewer's yeast, or two of home-made yeast. — Sufficient 
sifted rye meal to make a moderate batter. — A salt-spoon 
of salt. Having warmed the milk, beat the eggs very 
light, and stir them gradually into it, alternately with the 
rye meal, adding the salt. Put in the meal, a handful at 
a time, till you have the batter about as thick as for buck- 
wheat cakes. Then stir in the yeast, and give the batter 
a hard beating, seeing that it is smooth and free from 
lumps. Cover the pan, and set it in a warm place to rise. 
When risen high, and covered with bubbles, the batter is 
fit to bake. Have ready over the fire a hot griddle, and 
bake the cakes in the manner of buckwheat. Send them 
to table hot, and eat them with butter, molasses, or 
honey. 

Yeast powders, used according to the directions that 
accompany them, and put in at the last, just before bak- 
ing, are an improvement to the lightness of all batter 
cakes, provided that real yeast or eggs are also in the 
mixture. But it is not well to depend on the powders 
exclusively, particularly when real yeast is to be had. 
The lightness produced by yeast powders alone, is not the 
right sort ; and though the cakes are eatable, they are too 
tough and leathery to be wholesome. As auxiliaries to 
genuine yeast, and to beaten eggs, yeast powders are 
excellent. 

Indian batter cakes may be made as above — or rye and 
Indian may be mixed in equal proportions. 



478 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

INDIAN LIGHT BISCUIT.— A quart of sifted In- 
dian meal. — A pint of sifted wheat flour. — A very small 
tea-spoonful of salt. — Three pints of milk. — Four eggs. 
Sift the Indian and wheat meal into a pan ; and add the 
salt. Mix them well. Beat the whites and the yolks of 
the eggs separately in two pans. The yolks must be 
beaten till very thick and smooth ; the whites to a stiff 
froth that will stand alone of itself. Then stir the yolks 
gradually, (a little at a time,) into the milk. Add by 
degrees the meal. Lastly, stir in the beaten white of 
egg, and give the whole a long and hard stirring. Butter 
a sufficient number of cups, or small, deep tins — nearly 
fill them with the batter. Set them immediately into a 
hot oven, and bake them fast. Turn them out of the 
cups. Send them warm to table, pull them open, and eat 
them with butter. 

They will puff up finely if, at the last, you stir in a 
level tea-spoonful of soda, melted in a little warm water. 



INDIAN CUP CAKES.— A pint and a half of yellow In- 
clian meal. — Haifa pint of wheat flour. — A pint and a half 
of som* milk ; buttermilk is best. — A small tea-spoonful of 
sal-eratus or soda, dissolved in warm water. — Two eggs. — 
A level tea-spoonful of salt. Sift the Indian and wheat 
meal into a pan and mix them well, adding the salt. If 
you have no butter-milk or other sour milk at hand, turn 
some sweet milk sour by setting a pan of it in the sun, 
or stirring in a spoonful of vinegar. Take out a small 
teacupful of the sour milk, and reserve it to be put in at 
the last. Beat the eggs very light, and then stir them, 
gradually, into the milk, alternately with the meal, a little 
at a time of each. Lastly, dissolve the soda or sal-eratus, 
and stir it into the cup of sour milk that has been reserved 
for the purpose. It will effervesce ; stir it while foaming 
into the mixture, which should be a thick batter. Have 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 479 

ready some teacups, or little deep tins. Butter them well ; 
nearly fill them with the batter, and set them immediately 
into a rather brisk oven. The cakes must be thoroughly 
baked all through. When done, turn them out on large 
plates, and send them hot to the breakfast or tea-table. 
Split them into three pieces, and eat them with butter. 

The soda will entirely remove the acidity of the milk, 
which will effervesce the better for being sour at first, 
adding therefore to the lightness of the cake. Taste the 
milk, and if you find that the slightest sourness remains, 
add a little more dissolved soda. 

All the alkalies, pearlash, sal-eratus, soda, and sal-vola- 
tile, will remove acidity, and increase lightness ; but if 
too much is used they will impart a disagreeable taste. It 
is useless to put lemon or orange juice into any mixture 
that is afterwards to have one of these alkalies, as they 
will entirely destroy the flavour of the fruit. 



KENTUCKY SWEET CAKE.— A pint of fine yellow 
Indian meal, sifted. — Half a pint of wheat flour. — Half 
a pound of powdered white sugar. — Half a pound of fresh 
butter. — Eight eggs. — A powdered nutmeg. — A large tea- 
spoonful of powdered cinnamon. — A glass of white wine. — 
A glass of brandy. Having powdered the spice, and mixed 
together the wine and brandy, put the spice to steep in 
the liquor. Mix well the Indian meal and the wheat 
flour, putting them into a broad pan. In another pan, 
stir together the butter and sugar (as for a pound cake) 
till they are very light and creamy. Break the eggs into 
a shallow earthen pan, and beat them till very thick and 
light. Then, by degrees, stir into the beaten butter and 
sugar, the spice and the liquor, a little at a time of each. 
Afterwards, add alternately the meal and the beaten egg, 
also a little of each at a time. Stir the whole very hard 
when all the ingredients are in Butter a straight-sided 



480 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

tin pan, put the mixture into it ; set it immediately into 
a rather brisk oven ; and bake it well for three or four 
hours or more, in proportion to its thickness. 

This is a very nice cake. It should be eaten the same 
day that it is baked ; as when stale (even one day old) all 
Indian cakes become dry ; hard, and rough. 

It will be improved by the addition of a pound of 
raisins, stoned, cut in half, and well dredged with wheat 
flour to prevent their sinking to the bottom. Sultana or 
seedless raisins are best for all sorts of cakes and pud- 
dings. 



CAROLINA PJCE CAKES.— Having picked and 
washed half a pint of rice, boil it by itself till the grains 
lose all form and are dissolved into a thick mass, or jelly. 
While warm, mix into it a large lump of the best fresh 
butter, and a salt-spoonful of salt. Pour into a bowl, a 
moderate sized teacupful of ground rice-flour ; and add to 
it as much milk as will make a tolerably stiff batter. Stir 
it till it is quite smooth, and free from lumps. Then mix 
it thoroughly with the boiled rice. Beat six eggs as light 
as possible, and stir them, gradually, into the mixture. 
Bake it on a griddle, in cakes about as large round as a 
saucer. Eat them warm with butter; and have on the 
table, in a small bowl, some powdered white sugar and nut- 
meg, for those who like it. 

— ♦ — 

CAROLINA CORN CAKES.— Mix together in a pan, 
a pint and a half of sifted corn meal, and a half pint of 
wheat flour, adding a heaped salt-spoon of salt. Beat 
three eggs very light. Have ready a quart of sour milk. 
(You can turn sweet milk sour by stirring into it a very 
little vinegar.) Put into a teacup a small tea-spoonful of 
carbonate of soda, and dissolve it in a little lukewarm 
water. In another teacup melt a salt-spoonful of tartaric 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 481 

acid. Add, alternately, to the milk, the beaten eggs and 
the mixed meal, a little at a time of each ; stirring very 
hard. Then stir in the melted soda, and lastly the dis- 
solved tartaric acid. Having stirred the whole well 
together, butter some square pans; fill them with the 
batter ; set them immediately into a hot oven ; and bake 
them well. Serve them up hot, and eat them with butter 
or molasses, or both. These cakes may be baked in muf- 
fin rings. All hot cakes in the form of muffins should be 
pulled open with the fingers when about to be eaten; and 
not split with a knife, the pressure of the knife tending 
to make them heavy. 

MADISON CAKE.— A pint and a half of sifted yel- 
low corn meal. — Half a pint of wheat flour. — Half a pint 
of sour milk. — Half a pint of powdered white sugar. — 
Half a pound of fresh butter. — Six eggs. — A gill, or two 
wine-glasses of brandy. — A pound of raisins of the best 
quality. — A large tea-spoonful of mixed spice, powdered 
mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon. — A large salt-spoon of sal- 
eratus, or a small tea-spoonful of soda. If you have no 
sour milk at hand, turn half a pint of rich milk sour by 
setting it in the sun, or stirring in a tea-spoonful of vine- 
gar. For this cake the milk must be sour, that the sal- 
eratus or soda may act more powerfully by coming in 
contact with an acid. The acidity will then be entirely 
removed by the effervescence, and the cake will be ren- 
dered very light, and perfectly sweet. Having powdered 
the spice, put it into the brandy, and let it infuse till 
wanted. Prepare the raisins by stoning them, and cutting 
them in half; dredging them well with flour. They 
should be muscadel, or bloom raisins, or sultana ; if the 
latter, they will require no seeding. Low-priced raisins, 
of inferior quality, should never be used for cooking or 
for any purpose, as they are unwholesome. 
41 



482 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

Sift the corn meal and the wheat flour into a pan, and 
mix them well. In another pan mix the butter and sugar, 
and stir them together with a hickory spaddle (which is 
like a short mush-stick, only broader at the flattened end) 
till they are light and creamy. Then add the brandy 
and spice. In a broad, shallow pan, beat the eggs till very 
thick and smooth. Then stir them gradually into the 
butter and sugar in turn with the meal. Dissolve the 
sal-eratus or soda in a very little lukewarm water, and 
stir it into the sour milk. Then, while foaming, add the 
milk to the rest of the mixture, and stir very hard. Lastly, 
throw in the raisins, a few at a time, and give the whole 
a hard stirring. 

Butter a deep square pan or a turban-mould. Put in 
the mixture. Set it directly into a brisk oven, and bake 
it at least three hours; or four if in a turban-mould. 
When half done, the heat should be increased. This 
cake should be eaten the day it is baked. 



NANTUCKET PUDDING.— Six large ears of Indian 
corn; full grown, but young and soft. — A pint of milk. — 
A quarter of a pound of fresh butter. — A quarter of a 
pound of sugar. — Four eggs. — Half a nutmeg grated, and 
five or six blades of mace powdered. — Having first boiled 
the corn for a quarter of an hour, grate the grains off the 
cob with a coarse grater. Then add the butter (cut into 
little bits) and the sugar. Having stirred them well into 
the corn, thin it with milk. Beat the eggs very light, 
and add them to the mixture, a little at a time, and finish 
with the spice. Stir the whole very hard. Butter a deep 
white dish, put in the pudding, set it directly into the 
oven, and bake it two hours. Send it to table warm, and 
eat it with butter and sugar, or molasses. It is not good 
cold. What is left may be put into a small dish, and 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC 483 

baked over again next day, for half an honr ; or tied in 

a cloth, and boiled a while. 

— $ 

SAMP PUDDING.— A pint of samp that has been 
boiled, and grown cold. — A pint of milk. — Three large 
table-spoonfuls of fresh butter. — Three large table-spoon- 
fuls of sugar, or half a pint of West India molasses. — 
Six eggs. — A table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon and 
nutmeg mixed, or a table-spoonful of ground ginger. 
Boil the milk; and just after you take it from the 
fire stir in the butter and sugar; or instead of the 
sugar half a pint of West India molasses. Then add the 
spice, and set the milk, &c, to cool. Beat the eggs till 
thick and smooth. Then stir them, gradually, into the 
mixture, a little at a time, in turn with the samp. But- 
ter a deep dish ; put in the mixture, and bake it well. 
Eat it warm, with butter, sugar, and nutmeg beaten to- 
gether to a cream ; or with molasses and butter. 

A rice pudding may be made as above ; the rice being 
previously boiled by itself, and well drained. 

A samp pudding may be tied in a cloth and boiled. 

A FARMER'S INDIAN PUDDING.— Three small 
pints of sifted Indian meal, the yellow sort. — A quart of 
rich milk. — A pint of West India molasses. — A table- 
spoonful of ground cinnamon, or ginger. Before you 
begin, set over the fire a large pot filled with water, which 
must boil hard by the time the pudding is mixed. Put 
the milk by itself, into another pot or sauce-pan, and 
give it a boil. When it has come to a boil, pour it into 
a deep pan, and stir into it a pint of the best West India 
molasses. Then add, by degrees, the Indian meal, a hand- 
ful at a time ; and lastly, the spice. Stir the whole very 
hard. Have ready a square pudding-cloth ; dip it in boil- 
ing water; shake it out; dredge it with flour, and spread 



484 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

it open in a broad pan. Then ponr the pudding-batter 
into the cloth ; and, leaving near one-third vacant, as 
room for it to swell, tie it firmly with tape. Make a 
morsel of stiff dough with flour and a little water, and 
with it stop closely the little aperture at the tying-place, 
to prevent water from getting in there. Plaster it on well. 
Put the pudding into the large pot of boiling water; 
cover it closely with the lid; and let it boil steadily for 
at least three hours ; four will not be too long. While 
boiling, turn it frequently. As the water boils away, re- 
plenish it with some more water, kept boiling hard for 
this purpose, in a kettle. On no account pour in cold 
water, as that will render the pudding heavy. Turn it 
out of the cloth immediately before it goes to table, and 
eat it with butter and molasses. It will be found excel- 
lent. The West India molasses will make it as light as 
if it had eggs. 

You may add with the spice, the yellow rind of a large 
lemon or orange, finely grated. 



A VERY NICE BOILED INDIAN PUDDING.— 

Three pints of sifted Indian meal. — Half a pound of beef- 
suet, minced as fine as possible. — A quart of milk. — 
Half a pint of West India molasses. — Six eggs. — Three 
or four sticks of cinnamon, broken small.— A grated nut- 
meg. Having cleared the suet from the skin and strings, 
chop it as fine as possible, and mix it with the Indian 
meal. Boil the cinnamon in the milk till it is highly 
flavoured. Then strain the milk (boiling hot) into the 
pan of Indian meal and suet, and add the molasses. Stir 
the mixture very hard. Cover it and set it away in a 
cool place. Beat the eggs till quite light, and add them, 
gradually, to the mixture as soon as it is quite cold. Then 
grate in the nutmeg. Dip a thick square cloth into boil- 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 485 

ing water, shake it out, dredge it with flour, and then 
spread it open in a deep pan, and pour in the mixture. 
Leaving one-third of the space vacant allowing for the 
pudding to swell, tie the cloth very securely, and to guard 
against water getting into it, plug up the little crack at 
the tying place by plastering on a bit of dough made of 
flour and water. Put the pudding into a large pot of boil- 
ing water, (having an old plate in the bottom,) and boil 
it six hours or more, turning it often, and replenishing 
the pot, when necessary, with boiling water from a kettle. 
If you dine early, the pudding should be mixed before 
breakfast. Serve it up hot. 

Eat it with wine sauce, with butter and molasses, or 
with a sauce of butter, sugar, lemon-juice and nutmeg, 
beaten together to a cream. What is left of the pudding, 
may next day be tied in a cloth, and boiled over again for 
an hour. 



BAKED CORN MEAL PUDDING.— A pint of sifted 
Indian meal. — Half a pint of "West India molasses. — A 
quarter of a pound of fresh butter. — A pint of milk. — ■ 
Four eggs. — The yellow rind of a large fresh orange or 
lemon grated. — A tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon and 
nutmeg mixed. Boil the milk. Sift the Indian meal into 
an earthen pan, pour the boiling milk over it, and stir 
them well together. Cut up the butter into a small sauce- 
pan ; pour the molasses over it ; set it on the fire, and let 
them warm together till the butter is soft, but not oiled. 
Stir them well, and mix them with the milk and Indian 
meal. Set the pan in a cool place. In a separate pan 
beat the eggs very light, and when the mixture has be- 
come cold, add the eggs to it, gradually. Then stir in 
the spice, and grated orange or lemon peel. Stir the whole 
very hard. Put the mixture into a buttered white dish, 
41* 



486 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

and bake it well. Serve it up hot, and eat it with a sauce 
made of powdered white sugar, and fresh butter seasoned 
with nutmeg and lemon or orange juice, and stirred to- 
gether to a cream ; or with a liquid sauce of melted butter, 
wine and nutmeg. 

This quantity of ingredients will make a small pudding. 
For a large one, allow a double portion of each article, and 
bake it longer. 

It will be improved by gradually stirring in at the last, 
a pound of Zante currants or of sultana raisins, well 
dredged with flour. 



PUMPKIN INDIAN PUDDING.— Take a pint and 
a half of cold stewed pumpkin, and mix into it a pint and 
a half of Indian meal, adding a table-spoonful of ground 
ginger. Boil a quart of milk, and as soon as you take it 
from the fire, stir into it a pint of West India molasses. 
Then add to it gradually the mixture of pumpkin and 
corn meal, and stir the whole very hard. It will be much 
improved by adding the grated yellow rind of a large 
orange or lemon. Have ready over the fire a large pot 
of boiling water. Dip your pudding-cloth into it ; shake 
it out ; spread out the cloth in a broad pan : dredge it 
with flour ; pour the mixture into it, and tie it fast, leav- 
ing about one-third of the space for the pudding to swell. 
Boil it three hours or more — four hours will not be too 
long. Turn it several times while boiling. Replenish 
the pot as it boils, with hot water from a kettle kept boil- 
ing for the purpose. Take up the pudding immediately 
before it is wanted for table — dip it a moment in cold 
water, and turn it out into a dish. Eat it with butter 
and molasses. 

This pudding requires no eggs in the mixture. The 
molasses, if West India, will make it sufficiently light. 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 487 

What is left may be tied in a cloth, and re-boiled next 
day. 



A BACKWOODS POT-PIE.— Put a large portion of 
yellow Indian meal, (with a very little salt,) into a deep 
pan, and pour on scalding water, (stirring it in as you pro- 
ceed,) till you have a soft dough. Beat and stir it long 
and hard, adding more corn meal, till the dough becomes 
stiff. It will be improved by mixing in a little wheat 
flour. When it is cool enough to handle, knead it a while 
with your hands. Take off portions of the dough or paste, 
and form them into flat, square cakes. Take a large pot; 
grease the sides with a little good dripping or lard, and 
line them with the cakes of corn meal. Have ready some 
fresh venison cut into pieces, and seasoned with a little 
salt and pepper. Put some of it into the pot, (adding 
some water to assist in the gravy,) and cover it with a 
layer of corn cakes. Then more venison, and then more 
cakes, till the pot is nearly full. The last layer must be 
a large cake with a slit in the middle. Set it over the 
fire, and let it boil steadily till the whole is thoroughly 
done. Then take it up, and dish it together, meat and 
paste. 

The paste that is to line the sides of the pot should be 
thinner than that which is to be laid among the meat. 
Put no paste at the bottom. 

If you have any cold drippings of roast venison, you 
may mix some of it with the corn meal, as shortening. 

Sweet potatoes sliced, and laid among the meat, will 

improve this pie. 

— • — 

TO BOIL INDIAN CORN.— Corn for boiling should 
be full grown, but young and tender, and the grains soft 
and milky. If its grains are becoming hard and yellow, 
it is too old for boiling. Strip the ears of their leaves 



488 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

and the silk. Put them into a large pot of boiling water, 
and boil it rather fast for half an hour or more, in propor- 
tion to its size and age. When done, take it up, drain it, 
dish it under a cover, or napkin, and serve it up hot. 
Before eating it, rub each ear with salt and pepper, and 
then spread it with butter. Epicures in corn consider it 
sweetest when eaten off the cob. And so it is; but be- 
fore company few persons like to hold an ear of Indian 
corn in their hands, and bite the grains off the cob with 
their teeth. Therefore, it is more frequently cut off the 
cob into a dish ; mixed with salt, pepper, and butter, and 
helped with a spoon. 

It is said that young green corn will boil sufficiently in 
ten minutes, (putting it of course into a pot of boiling 
water.) Try it. 

Another way. — Having pulled off the silk, boil the 
corn, without removing the leaves that enclose the cob. 
With the leaves or husk on, it will require a longer time 
to cook, but is sweeter and more nutritious. 



GREEN CORN DUMPLINGS.— A quart of young 
corn grated from the cob. — Half a pint of wheat flour, 
sifted. — Half a pint of milk. — Six table-spoonfuls of but- 
ter. — Two eggs. — A salt-spoonful of salt. — A salt-spoon- 
ful of pepper. — Butter for frying. Having grated as 
fine as possible, sufficient young fresh corn to make a quart, 
mix with it the wheat flour, and add the salt and pepper. 
Warm the milk in a small saucepan, and soften the butter 
in it. Then add them gradually to the pan of corn, stir- 
ring very hard ; and set it away to cool. Beat the eggs 
light, and stir them into the mixture when it has cooled. 
Flour your hands and make it into little dumplings. Put 
into a frying-pan a sufficiency of fresh butter, (or lard and 
butter in equal proportions,) and when it is boiling hot, 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC 489 

and has been skimmed, put in the dumplings ; and fry 
them ten minutes or more, in proportion to their thick- 
ness. Then drain them, and send them hot to the dinner- 
table. 



CORN PORRIDGE.— Take young corn, and cut the 
grains from the cob. Measure it, and to each heaping 
pint of corn, allow not quite a quart of milk. Put the 
corn and milk into a pot ; stir them well together : and 
boil them till the corn is perfectly soft. Then add some 
bits of fresh butter dredged with flour, and let it boil five 
minutes longer. Stir in at the last, some beaten yolk of 
egg ; and in three minutes remove it from the fire. Take 
up the porridge, and send it to table hot, and stir some 
fresh butter into it. You may add sugar and nutmeg. 



CORN OYSTERS.— Three dozen ears of large young 
Indian corn. — Six eggs. — Lard and butter in equal por- 
tions for frying. The corn must be young and soft. 
Grate it from the cob as fine as possible, and dredge it with 
wheat flour. Beat very light the six eggs, and mix them 
gradually with the corn. Then let the whole be well in- 
corporated by hard beating. Add a sal^spoon of salt. 

Have ready, in a frying pan, a sufficient quantity of 
lard and fresh butter mixed together. Set it over the fire 
till it is boiling hot, and then put in portions of the corn- 
mixture, so as to form oval cakes about three inches long, 
and nearly an inch thick. Fry them brown, and send 
them to table hot. In taste they will be found to have a 
singular resemblance to fried oysters, and are universally 
liked if properly done. They make nice side-dishes at 
dinner, and are very good at breakfast. 

SUMMER SACCATASH.— String a quarter of a peck 
of young green beans, and cut each bean into three pieces 



490 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

(not more) and do not split them. Have by you a pan 
of cold water, and throw the beans into it as you cut them. 
Have ready over the fire a pot or saucepan of boiling 
water, put in the beans, and -boil them hard near twenty 
minutes. Afterwards take them up, and drain them well ^ 
through a cullender. Take half a dozen ears of young 
but full-grown Indian corn (or eight or nine if they are 
not all large) and cut the grains down from the cob. Mix 
together the corn and the beans, adding a very small tea- 
spoonful of salt, and boil them about twenty minutes. 
Then take up the saccatash, drain it well through a sieve, 
put it into a deep dish, and while hot mix in a large piece 
of butter, (at least the size of an egg,) add some pepper, 
and send it to table. It is generally eaten with salted or 
smoked meat. 

Fresh lima beans are excellent cooked in this manner, 
with green corn. They must be boiled for half an hour 
or more before they are cooked with the corn. 

Dried beans and dried corn will do very well for sacca- 
tash, but they must be soked all night before boiling. 
The water poured on them for soaking should be hot. 



WINTER SACCATASH.— This is made of dried 
shelled beans, and hard corn. Take equal quantities of 
shelled beans and corn ; put them over night into separate 
pans, and pour boiling water over them. Let them soak 
till morning. Then pour off that water, and scald them 
again. First boil the beans by themselves. When they 
are soft, add the corn, and let them boil together till the 
corn is quite soft, which will require at least an hour. 
Take them up, drain them in a sieve ; then put them into 
a deep dish, and mix in a large piece of fresh butter, and 
a little pepper and salt. 

This is an excellent accompaniment to pickled pork, 



ETC. 491 

bacon, or corned beef. The meat must be boiled by itself 
in a separate pot. 



HOMINY. — Hominy is white Indian corn ; shelled 
from the cob, divested of the outer skin by scalding in 
hot lye, and then winnowed and dried. It is perfectly 
white. Having washed it through two or three waters, 
pour boiling water on it, cover it, and let it soak all night, 
or for several hours. Then put it into a pot or saucepan, 
allow two quarts of water to each quart of hominy, and 
boil it till perfectly soft. Then drain it, put it into a deep 
dish, add some butter to it, and send it to table hot, (and 
uncovered^) to eat with any sort of meat ; but particularly 
with corned beef or pork. What is left may be made 
next day into thick cakes, and fried in butter. To be 
very good, hominy should boil four or five hours. 



CAROLINA GRITS, or SMALL HOMINY.— The 

small-grained hominy must be washed and boiled in the 
same manner as the large, only allow rather less water for 
boiling. For instance, put a pint and a half of water to 
a quart of small hominy. Drain it well, send it to table 
in a deep dish without a cover ', and eat it with butter and 
sugar, or molasses. If covered after boiling, the vapour 
will condense within the lid ; and make the hominy thin 

and watery. 

— ♦ — 

SAMP. — This is Indian corn skinned, and then pounded 
or ground till it is still smaller and finer than the Carolina 
grits. It must be cooked and used in the same manner. 
It is very nice eaten with cream and sugar. 

For invalids it may be made thin, and eaten as gruel. 



HOMINY CAKES.— A pint of small hominy, or Caro- 
lina grits. — A pint of white Indian meal, sifted. — A salt- 



492 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

spoonful of salt. — -Three large table-spoonfuls of fresh 
butter. — Three eggs, or three table-spoonfuls of strong 
yeast. — A quart of milk. Having washed the small 
hominy, and left it soaking all night, boil it soft, drain it, 
and while hot, mix it with the Indian meal ; adding the 
salt, and the butter. Then mix it gradually with the 
milk, and set it away to cool. Beat the eggs very light, 
and add them, gradually, to the mixture. The whole 
should make a thick batter. Then bake them on a griddle, 
in the manner of buckwheat cakes, greasing or scraping 
the griddle, always before you put on a fresh cake. Trim 
off their edges nicely, and send them to table hot. Eat 
them with butter. 

Or you may bake them in muffin rings. 

If you prefer making these cakes with yeast, you must 
begin them earlier, as they will require time to rise. The 
yeast should be strong and fresh. If not very strong, use 
four table-spoonfuls instead of two. Cover the pan, set it 
in a warm place ; and do not begin to bake till it is well 
risen, and the surface of the mixture is covered with 
bubbles. 



TO KEEP INDIAN CORN FOR COOKING.— 

Take the corn when it is young and tender, and barely 
full-grown. Let it remain on the cob till you have boiled 
it ten or fifteen minutes (not more) in a large pot of 
slightly-salted water that must be boiling hard when the 
corn is put in. When thus parboiled, take it out, and 
when cool enough to handle, cut down the grains from 
the cob, into a deep pan, with a knife. Then spread out 
the grains in large flat dishes or shallow pans, and set 
them in an oven, after the bread, pies, &c, are done, and 
have been taken out. Let the corn remain in the oven 
till it is all well dried. If your oven is heated every day, 



INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 493 

you may put the corn into it a second time. When quite 
dry, and after it has cooled, put it into a large thick bag ; 
tie the bag tightly, and hang it up in a cool store-room. 
When wanted for use, corn thus prepared will be found 
excellent for boiling in winter soup ; or boiled by itself and 
drained, and sent to table in a vegetable-dish to eat with 
meat ; first mixing with it some butter, and a little pepper 
and salt. It will boil as soft, and taste as well as when 
fresh from the garden. It will be better for soaking all 
night in water, before cooking. 

Bakers who heat their ovens every day, would find it 
profitable to buy- Indian corn in large quantities, and pre- 
pare it as above, to sell afterwards for table use. If the 
corn is not young and fresh, it will require half an hour's 
boiling before it is dried in the oven. 

What is called sweet corn is excellent for this purpose. 



EXCELLENT RECEIPT FOE PORK AND 
BEANS. — Take a good piece of pickled pork (not very 
fat) and to each pound of pork allow a quart of dried 
white beans. The bone should be removed from the pork, 
and the beans well picked and washed. The evening 
before they are wanted for cooking, put the beans and 
pork to soak in separate pans; and just before bed-time, 
drain off the water, and replace it with fresh. Let them 
soak all night. Early in the morning, drain them well 
from the water, and wash first the beans, and then the 
pork in a cullender. Having scored the skin in stripes 
or diamonds, put the pork into a pot with fresh cold water, 
and the beans into another pot with sufficient cold water 
to cook them well. Season the pork with a little pepper, 
but of course no salt. Boil them separately and slowly 
till the pork is thoroughly done (skimming it well) and 
till the beans have all burst open. Afterwards take them 
42 



494 INDIAN MEAL PREPARATIONS, ETC. 

out, and drain them well from the water. Then lay the 
pork in the middle of a tin pan, (there must be no liquid 
fat about it) and the beans round it, and over it, so as 
nearly to bury it from sight. Pour in a very little water, 
and set the dish into a hot oven, to bake or brown for 
half an hour. If kept too long in the oven the beans will 
become dry and hard. If sufficiently boiled when separ- 
ate, half an hour will be long enough for the pork and 
beans to bake together. Carefully skim off any liquid 
fat that may rise to the surface. Cover the dish, and send 
it to table hot. 

For a small dish, two quarts of beans and two pounds 
of pork will be enough. To this quantity when put to 
bake in the oven you may allow half a pint of water. 

This is a good plain dish, very popular in New Eng- 
land, and generally liked in other parts of the country. 



495 



NEW RECEIPTS. 



ICED PLUM-PUDDING.— Take two dozen sweat 
and two dozen bitter almonds. Blanch them in scald- 
ing water, and then throw them into a bowl of cold water. 
Pound them, one at a time, in a mortar, till they become 
a smooth paste, free from the smallest lumps ; pounding 
a bitter and a sweet one alternately, that they may be 
well mixed. As you proceed, add frequently a few drops 
of rose-water or lemon -juice, to make them light, and 
prevent their oiling. Seed, and cut in half, a quarter of a 
pound of the best bloom raisins. Mix with them a 
quarter of a pound of Zante currants, picked, washed, 
and dried ; and add to the raisins and currants, three 
ounces of citron cut into dice. Mix the citron with the 
raisins and currants, and dredge them all with flour, 
to prevent their sinking or clodding. Take a half-pint 
of very rich milk. Split a vanilla bean, and cut it into 
pieces two or three inches long, and boil it in the milk 
till the flavour of the vanilla is well extracted; then 
strain it out, and mix the vanilla-milk with a pint of rich 
cream, and stir in, gradually, a quarter of a pound of pow- 
dered loaf-sugar, and a small nutmeg grated. Then add 
the pounded almonds, and a large wine-glass of either 
marasquino, noyau, curagoa, or the very best brandy. 
Beat, in a shallow pan, the yolks of eight eggs till very 
light, thick, and smooth; and stir them gradually into 
the mixture. Simmer it over the fire, (stirring it all the 
time,) but take it off just as it is about to come to a boil; 
otherwise it will curdle. Then, while the mixture is hot, 
stir in the raisins, currants, and citron. Set it to cool ; and 
then add a large teacup-full of preserved strawberries or 
raspberries, half a dozen preserved apricots, or peaches, 



496 the lady's receipt-book. 

half a dozen preserved green limes, and any other very 
nice and delicate sweetmeats. Then whip to a stiff froth 
another pint of cream, and add it lightly to the mixture. 
Put the whole into a large melon-mould, that opens in 
the middle, and freeze it in the usual way. It will take 
four hours to freeze it well. Do not turn 4 it out till jusfc 
before it is wanted. Then send it to table on a glass 
dish. It will be found delicious. Iced puddings are now 
considered indispensable on fashionable supper-tables or 
at dinner-parties. There is no flour in this pudding. 
The freezing will keep it together. 



FINE PUDDING-SAUCE.— Take a large half-pint 
cup of the best fresh butter, and the same quantity of 
powdered loaf-sugar. Put them together into a pan, and 
beat them to a light thick cream. Then mix a wine-glass 
full of boiling water, and a wine-glass full of the best 
brandy, with the juice of a large lemon or orange, and 
half a large nutmeg, or a small one, grated. Mix these 
ingredients, gradually, with the beaten butter and sugar, 
and transfer the sauce to a small tureen, with a spoon or 
ladle in it. 



ICED PINE-APPLE PUDDING.-— Take two fine 

ripe pine-apples, of the largest size. Cut off and throw 
away the points or withered blossoms from the surface of 
the outside. Then pare off the rind, and cut the paring 
into small pieces. Cut the flesh of the pine-apples into 
thick slices first, and then cut the slices into dice, omit- 
ting the hard core. Boil the dice in water enough to 
cover them ; when quite soft, take them out, and spread 
them to cool. Then pour the pine-apple water upon a 
pound of the finest loaf-sugar, and boil and skim it till 



tfEW RECEIPTS. 497 

the scum ceases to rise. Next, put in the bits of pine- 
apple, give them one boil-up in the syrup, and then set 
them away to cool in it. In another sauce-pan, boil a 
pint of cream with the bits of pine-apple rind, till the 
cream is well flavoured. Then strain it out, and when 
cool, mix with it, gradually, the beaten yolks of ten eggs, 
and simmer this custard over the fire, (stirring it all the 
time,) but do not let it come quite to a boil, or it will 
cardie. Afterwards, mix together the custard, the syrup, 
and the bits of pine-apple. Take another pint of cream, 
whip it to a stiff froth, and make it very sweet with white 
sugar, and add it to the whole mixture; stirring it well 
in. Transfer the whole to a large melon-mould, that 
opens in the middle, and freeze it in the usual manner. 
To freeze it well, will require near four hours. Turn it 
out on a glass dish immediately before it is sent to table. 
You may give this pudding a fine green colour, by 
adding to the mixture a sufficiency of pistachio-nuts, 
shelled, and pounded to a green paste. 



TANSEY PUDDING.— Take a quarter of a pound 
of stale sponge-cake, (almond sponge-cake is best,) and 
grate it finely. Pound, in a mortar, sufficient fresh spinach 
to yield a half-pint, or a large teacup-full of juice. Then 
clear out the mortar and pound a handful of tansey-leaves, 
(or more,) till you have two table-spoonfuls of liquid. 
Mix the grated sponge-cake with a pint of cream (or of rich 
unskimmed milk) and four heaping table-spoonfuls of 
powdered white sugar. If you use milk instead of cream, 
mix with the grated sponge-cake two large spoonfuls of 
fresh butter. Add a wine-glass of brandy or madeira, 
in which you have steeped a heaping tea-spoonful of mixed 
spice, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon. Stir the whole hard. 
Beat six eggs till very smooth and light, and stir them 
42* 



498 the lady's receipt-book. 

gradually into the mixture. Lastly, add sufficient of the 
spinach-juice to render it a very fine green, and finish with 
two table-spoonfuls (not more) of the tansey-juice. Too 
much tansey will make the pudding bitter. Stir the 
whole very hard. Butter a deep dish. Put in the mix- 
ture, and bake it about three-quarters of an hour. When 
done, set it in a cool place. Serve it up cold, having 
sifted sugar over the surface. 

This pudding may be boiled in a mould. It must then 
be eaten warm with wine-sauce. 



VICTORIA PUDDING.— Take a large pint of stewed 
apple or a quart of stewed gooseberries, made very sweet 
with plenty of sugar mixed in after it is stewed. If the 
sugar is put in at first, along with the fruit, it will render 
the fruit tough, hard, and dry ; also much of the strength 
of the sugar will go off in stewing. Every sort of fruit 
should be stewed witliout sugar, and with a very little 
water, barely enough to prevent its burning. As soon 
as it is stewed quite soft, so that you can mash it to a 
jam, take it from the fire, and, while hot, stir in sufficient 
sugar to sweeten it well. Stewed apple should be 
flavoured, while hot, with lemon-juice or rose-water; 
gooseberries, (which should be pressed through a cul- 
lender, using only the pulp) with grated nutmeg. When 
the stewed fruit is quite cool, beat, in a shallow pan, the 
yolks of five eggs, and the whites of two, and when quite 
light and smooth, mix them, gradually, with the stewed 
fruit. Having buttered a deep dish, transfer the mix- 
ture to it, and sift sugar over the surface. Next, beat 
the three remaining whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and 
then, gradually, beat into it as much powdered loaf-sugar 
as will make a thick icing, adding, as you proceed, suffi- 
cient lemon-juice or rose-water to flavour it well. Put 



NEW RECEIPTS. 499 

the icing into a china pot or pitcher, that has a lid and 
a spout ; and holding it high, pour it all over the surface 
of the pudding, piling it in round bubbles, and making it 
rather highest in the centre. Then set the pudding into 
a brisk oven, and bake it ten minutes. When done, set 
it on ice, and send it to table cold. 

This pudding is very fine made of fresh quinces, cut up 
and stewed to a jam, and sweetened while hot. For 
quinces, the icing should be flavoured with orange-juice. 

In stewing apple, you may put in with the fruit the 
grated yellow rind of a lemon, or a few unblown rose- 
buds, picked out of their green sheaths and cut up small. 



MAIDS OF HONOUR.— The night previous to 
making these cakes, cut a piece of rennet about four 
inches square, wash off carefully all the salt from the 
outside, wipe the rennet dry, and put it into a cup to 
soak, with sufficient warm water (not boiling hot) to cover 
it well. Early in the morning, stir the rennet-water into 
a pan containing a quart of rich milk. Cover the pan, 
and set it in a warm place till the milk becomes a firm 
curd and the liquid looks greenish. Then place it on ice 
till wanted. When quite cold, put the curd into a sieve 
and drain it dry ; breaking it up small, and crumbling it 
fine in your hands. Have ready two ounces of sweet 
almonds, and two ounces of bitter almonds, blanched and 
pounded in a marble mortar to a smooth paste, and mixed, 
as you proceed, with rose-water, to prevent their oiling. 
Grate, upon lumps of loaf-sugar, the yellow rind of three 
lemons, scraping it off the sugar, and transferring it to a 
saucer. Then squeeze the juice of the lemons over the 
sugar, and let it dissolve. Mix, in a deep pan, the crum- 
bled curd, with three-quarters of a pound of the best fresh 
butter, cut up ; and three-quarters of a pound of powdered 



500 the lady's receipt-book. 

loaf-sugar. Stir the curd, the butter, and the sugar to- 
gether, till very light, adding a wine-glass of brandy, the 
pounded almonds, (the bitter and sweet well-mixed to- 
gether,) and the lemon-grate mixed with the juice; also 
grate in a small nutmeg or half a large one. Beat, in a 
shallow pan, the yolks of eight eggs, till perfectly light, 
and add them gradually to the other ingredients, finish- 
ing with a table-spoonful of farina, or of potato-flour or 
rice-flour ; and beat the whole very hard. Have ready 
sufficient puff-paste, made with the best butter. Butter 
some small tartlet pans, and line them with paste. Then 
fill them up with the above mixture, and sift powdered loaf- 
sugar over the surface of each cake. Set them immediately 
into a brisk oven, and bake them well. When done, turn 
them out of the pans, and set them to cool. If properly- 
made, they will be found very fine. 

The preparation of these cakes is said to have been one 
of the occupations of Queen Elizabeth's maids of honour. 



A CHARLOTTE MERINGUE.— Take half a pound 
of the best maccaroons, (such as are made with both sweet 
and bitter almonds,) lay them in the bottom of a deep 
dish, sprinkle them well with powdered loaf-sugar, and 
pour on sufficient white wine (or wine and brandy mixed) 
to dissolve them completely. Fine, clear, bottled cider 
will be still better. Beat to a stiff froth six whites of egg, 
and then beat in, gradually, enough of powdered loaf- 
sugar to make a very thick icing or meringue ; flavouring 
it well with lemon-juice, or rose or orange-juice. Then 
cover the dissolved cake very thickly and evenly with 
the meringue, which should be put on two or three inches 
thick. Smooth its surface with a broad knife dipped in 
cold water. You may ornament it with red sugar-sand, 
put on in a handsome pattern. Set it in a warm, dry 



NEW RECEIPTS. 501 

place to harden, and serve it up at a dinner or even- 
ing party. It will be found very nice, and requires no 
cooking. 

You may substitute almond sponge-cake for the mac- 
caroons. 



BURLINGTON CAKES.— Take as much sliced wheat 
bread (after removing the crust) as will weigh three-quar- 
ters of a pound. Warm two quarts of rich milk, and 
pour it hot over the bread, in a deep pan. Cover it, and 
when it has soaked quite soft, so as to have dissolved, set 
it to cool. Have ready five eggs, beaten in a shallow 
pan till very thick and smooth. Then mix the eggs, 
gradually, into the bread and milk ; sprinkling in, by de- 
grees, a small half-pint of wheat flour. Beat all together, 
very hard, till it becomes a smooth batter. Lastly, melt, 
in as much warm water as will cover it, a small tea-spoon- 
ful of sal-aratus or soda, and stir it into the mixture. 
Bake it on a griddle, in the usual manner of buckwheat 
cakes ; send them to table hot, and eat them with butter. 

For sal-aratus, you may substitute a yeast-powder; 
melting the tartaric acid (or the contents of the white 
paper) in one cup, and the soda (from the blue paper) in 
a separate cup. Stir them separately, into the batter, the 
soda first. Then stir the whole very hard at the last. 



PRESERVED ORANGE.— Take a sufficiency of large 
ripe sweet oranges, with thin smooth rinds. Roll each 
orange under your hand, upon a table, to increase the 
juice. Cut a large slit in the side, and squeeze them 
through a strainer into a pitcher, till you have a quart 
of juice. Cut twelve other oranges into eight pieces each. 
And, having carefully removed the strings and seeds, 



502 the lady's receipt-book. 

peel off the rind very nicely, so as not to break or dis- 
figure the pieces. Weigh four pounds of the best double- 
refined loaf-sugar, broken up, and put it into a preserving- 
kettle. In a smaller kettle, boil a quart of clear water, 
with the thin yellow rind of six of the oranges that have 
been cut in pieces. Let it boil moderately for a quarter 
of an hour. Then remove the orange-rind, and pour the 
water on the sugar, in the preserving kettle, and stir it 
about. When melted, set it over the fire, add the quart 
of orange-juice, and boil it slowly about half an hour. 
Lastly, put in the pieces of orange, and let them boil 
about five minutes. Transfer the whole to a large tureen, 
and, when cold, put the sweetmeat in glass jars; securing 
the lids well, by tying a piece of bladder over each, or 
pasting paper closely over them. 

For immediate use, you may make this sweetmeat in a 
smaller quantity; for instance, a pint of orange-juice; two 
pounds of sugar melted in a pint of water; and six large 
oranges, each cut into eight pieces. When cool, transfer 
the sweetmeat to a glass dish, set it on ice, and serve it 
up with the dessert. 

In a similar manner may be preserved whole, the very 
small sweet oranges that, when full-grown, are not so large 
as a common-sized peach. Peel off all the rind, and, having 
made the syrup as above, put in the little oranges wn*ole, 
and boil them ten minutes. 



PEARLED FRUIT.— Take bunches of fine ripe grapes, 
or large currants, either red or white. Beat, in a broad 
pan, some white of egg, with one-third its quantity of cold 
water. Dip the fruit into this, so as to wet it well all 
over. Then, for a minute or two, lay it to drain on an 
inverted sieve. Have ready a dish of finely-powdered 
and sifted loaf-sugar, and roll- in it the bunches of fruit 



NEW RECEIPTS. 503 

till thoroughly covered. Give it a gentle shake, and then 
lay it lightly on sheets of white paper to dry ; which it 
will in the course of three or four hours, in a warm room 
or near a sunny window. Serve it up in glass dishes, 
at dinner or evening parties. 

In the same manner, you may pearl ripe strawberries, 
raspberries, gooseberries, cherries, or plums. 

Instead of white of egg, you may dip the fruit into thin 
gum-arabic water ; afterwards rolling it in sugar. . 



POUND PEARS. — These are large rough, greenish 
brown pears, that are considered to weigh a pound. They 
will keep all winter, and can be cooked at any time. Raw, 
they are so hard as to be unfit for eating; but they make 
an excellent compote. Having pared them, cut each 
lengthwise into eight evenly-shaped pieces, nicely remov- 
ing the cores. Put them into a preserving-kettle, with 
sufficient water to cover them well, and some pieces of the 
yellow rind of orange, and let them stew till tender 
throughout, or for an hour or more. Then remove the 
bits of orange-peel, and throw on the pears sufficient 
sugar to render them very sweet, and pour in plenty of 
port wine, flavoured with powdered cinnamon and nutmeg, 
and mixed with orange-juice. Let them simmer in this 
till very soft, but not till they break. Set them to cool, 
and, when cold, send them to table on a china dish, ar- 
ranging them handsomely; and pour the syrup round 
them. 

Their colour will be much improved by mixing with 
the port-wine, &c. some prepared cochineal. 



TO PREPARE COCHINEAL.— Powder an ounce 
of cochineal, and put it into an earthen pipkin, with three- 



504 

quarters of an ounce of powdered cream of tartar, and a 
piece of alum about the size of a hickory-nut, also pow- 
dered. Add a quart of clear soft water. Boil the whole 
slowly for half an hour after it begins to simmer. Then 
strain it through thin white muslin. Put it into clear 
glass bottles. Cork them tightly, and tie kid leather 
over the tops. 

This is a beautiful red colouring for confectionery and 
sweetmeats, and thus prepared, is very convenient to keep 
always on hand. It has no unwholesome or deleterious 
properties. 



FINE MOCK-TURTLE SOUP.— Having cleaned 
and prepared a fine calf's head, put it into a soup-pot 
with an ample quantity of water, (sprinkling in a very 
little salt,) and boil it gently during four hours ) skim- 
ming it well. Half an hour before you take out the head, 
prepare a large half-pint of mushrooms, peeling them and 
removing the stems ; put them into a sauce-pan with.three 
large table-spoonfuls of tomato catchup ; two large table- 
spoonfuls of the best fresh butter, (each table-spoonful 
rolled in flour,) and three glasses of madeira. Also, half 
a pound of nice sausage-meat, divided into equal portions, 
and made up into balls. Mix these ingredients, and stew 
them all together for ten minutes ; keeping the sauce-pan 
closely covered, and shaking it about to prevent their 
sticking to the bottom and burning. 

After the soup has boiled four hours, take out the head, 
cut off all the best pieces of the meat, (including the 
tongue,) and cut them into mouthfuls. Make no use of 
the brains in this soup, but throw them away. Strain the 
soup ; return it to the pot ; and add to it the stewed 
mushrooms, sausage-balls, catchup, butter, and wine, that 
have been stewing in the sauce-pan. Also, the meat that 



NEW RECEIPTS. 505 

has been cut off from the bone. Then give it a short 
boil of ten minutes or more. Add, at the last, a lemon 
sliced thin, with the seeds removed. 

This soup will be found " first-rate," if the receipt is 
exactly followed. 



TO WASH PINA HANDKERCHIEFS.— Pina is 
a very elegant and exquisitely fine sort of cambric, manu- 
factured in India and China, from the leaves (it is said) 
of the pine-apple, converted into a fibrous pith, and then 
spun and woven, and afterwards embroidered with fine 
cotton. This beautiful article is not only imported di- 
rectly from Asia into the Atlantic cities, but is now 
brought over to California by the Chinese. A dress 
of it generally costs from three to five hundred dollars; 
and handkerchiefs from twelve or fifteen dollars to twenty 
or thirty. If carefully washed, it will last a long time. 
Its natural tint is that of unbleached linen, and it cannot 
be made what is called a dead white. 

To wash a pina handkerchief, lay it, the day before, in 
a large basin of very clear cold water, and let it soak till 
next morning ; changing the water several times during 
the day, and whenever you do so, squeeze out the hand- 
kerchief, but on no account wring or twist it. Keep the 
basin well covered. Next morning, make, in a clean 
basin, a strong suds of warm water, and the best white 
soap rubbed into the water. Then put tho handkerchief 
into this suds, and squeeze it well, opening it out, and 
pressing it again in your hands, but remember not to rub 
it. Give it a second squeezing through a fresh lather of 
white soap and warm water. Next, rinse it through two 
cold waters, and squeeze it out ; but be sure not to wring 
it. Then stretch and pull it, as evenly as possible, and 
hang it out in the sun. When dry enough to iron, bring 
43 



506 THE lady's receipt-book. 

it in, and iron it on the wrong side, pressing out nicely 
all the scollops round the edge. It should not be starched, 
as the material is stiff enough without. 

A pina dress must be taken apart before washing. 
Pina should never be washed except in clear bright 
weather. At night, by lamplight, it will look sufficiently 
white. 



BURLINGTON CAKES.— Having pared off the crust, 
take as many slices of bread as will weigh three-quarters 
of a pound. Lay it in a deep dish, and pour on two 
quarts of rich milk made hot. Cover it, and set it away 
to dissolve, and, when that is done, put it into a cool place. 
Meanwhile, beat five eggs till very light, thick, and smooth. 
Then mix them gradually with the bread and milk; 
adding, by degrees, a small half-pint of flour. Beat the 
whole together, till it is like a smooth batter. Lastly, 
add a very small tea-spoonful of soda, melted in as much 
warm water as will cover it. When thoroughly melted, 
stir it into the mixture. Bake the batter on a griddle, 
in the usual manner of buckwheat cakes. Send them to 
table hot, and eat them with butter. 



ORANGE SPONGE-CAKE.— Grate off, on lumps of 
loaf-sugar, the yellow rind or zest of four large oranges. 
Scrape off the zest with a tea-spoon, and mix it with a 
pound of the best loaf-sugar powdered, adding the lumps 
powdered also. Then squeeze among the sugar (through 
a strainer) the juice of the four oranges. Beat ten eggs, 
as light as possible, and then beat the sugar hard into 
the eggs. Lastly, stir in, sloidy and lightly r , a half-pound 
of sifted flour. If the flour is beaten in hard, like the 
sugar, the cake will be porous and tough. Grease a tin 



NEW RECEIPTS. 507 

pan with the best fresh butter, and put in the mixture. 
Sift powdered loaf-sugar over the top, and set the cake 
immediately into a very quick oven, rather unusually 
hot at the bottom. Bake it well. If in a deep pan, it 
will require at least an hour. When done, place it on 
an inverted sieve to cool. When cold, ice it, having 
flavoured the icing with orange-juice. This is a very fine 
sponge-cake, if plenty of orange is used. It may be baked 
in little tins, filling them full. Ice them when done. 
Lemon sponge-cake may be made in this manner. 



VANILLA SPONGE-CAKE.— Take the whites only 
of twelve eggs, (reserving the yolks for some other pur- 
pose,) and beat these whites to a stiff froth. Then beat 
in a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and add a table-spoon- 
ful or more of vanilla syrup, so as to flavour it highly. 
Stir the whole well together; and, at the last, stir in, 
slowly and lightly, a quarter of a pound of sifted flour. 
Transfer the mixture to a square pan, greased with fresh 
butter. Sift powdered sugar over the top ; set it directly 
in a quick oven, and bake it well. When cold, ice it ; 
flavouring the icing with a little vanilla syrup. 

It is best to make vanilla syrup yourself, (according to 
the receipt in page 236.) Much of the vanilla extract 
that is now sold in the shops, is so made as to give a dis- 
agreeable taste, instead of a pleasant one. 



SWEET-CORN SOUP.— Take a knuckle of veal, 
break the bones, score the meat deeply, and put it into a 
soup-pot. Allow rather less than a quart of water to each 
pound of veal ; and add a hock of cold ham. Season it 
with pepper ; the ham will make it quite salt enough ; 
(never salt any thing that has ham in it;) and let them 



508 

boil till the meat drops from the bone in rags. Then 
take it all out, and having strained the liquid, return it 
to the soup-pot. Have a sufficiency of well-boiled sweet- 
corn. Cut the grains from the cob. Add to the soup, 
two quarts of milk, enriched with a large lump of fresh 
butter rolled in flour. Throw in, gradually, enough of 
corn to thicken the soup well ; and boil it half an hour. 
A set of calves-feet, boiled with the knuckle and ham, 
will greatly improve this soup, which will be found ex- 
cellent. 



SQUATTER'S CORN-SOUP.— Take plenty of fresh- 
MUed, fat, juicy venison ; cut the meat off the bones, and 
put it (with the bones) into a large pot. Season it with 
salt and pepper, and pour on sufficient water to make a 
good rich soup. Boil it slowly, till the meat is in rags, 
and all the flavour extracted into the soup >, remembering 
to skim it well. Have ready some ears of well-boiled 
green corn. Cut the grains off the cob into a dish. Re- 
move from the soup-pot all the shreds of meat, and bits 
of bone, leaving only the liquid. Then throw the corn- 
grains into the soup, stir it about, and boil it a quarter 
of an hour longer. It will be found very good for other 
persons than squatters. 

For want of venison, this corn-soup may be made with 
hares, rabbits, squirrels, wild-pigeons, wild-ducks, &c. 
In this case, make the soup with milk instead of water, 
(if milk is plenty,) and put in at the first, a bone of ham. 



BOILED COCOA-NUT PUDDING.— Having peeled 
and washed a cocoa-nut, grate it fine. Soften a quarter of 
a pound of fresh butter in a pint of milk made warm over 
the fire. Then take it off, and stir the butter about in 



NEW RECEIPTS. 509 

the milk till it is all melted and well mixed. Then add, 
gradually, a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, 
a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, (nutmeg, mace, and cin- 
namon,) and a glass of mixed brandy and white wine. 
Beat five eggs very light, and stir them gradually into 
the mixture of other ingredients, in turn with the grated 
cocoa-nut, a little at a time of each. Stir the whole very 
hard. Butter a pudding-mould ; put in the mixture, and 
boil it two hours. 



A SICILY PUDDING.-- Rub off upon a large lump 
of sugar the yellow rind of two large lemons, and mix it 
with a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. Beat to a stiff froth 
the whites only of eight eggs, and then gradually beat 
into them the sugar, adding a heaped table-spoonful of 
flour. Finish with the juice of one lemon, and beat the 
whole hard. Butter a deep dish, put in the mixture; 
set it immediately in a brisk oven, and bake it fifteen or 
twenty minutes. When cold, sift sugar over it. 

Or you may bake it in puff-paste, which has been pre- 
viously half-baked when empty. 

This pudding is excellent made with the juice of two 
oranges and the yellow rind of one. 

43* 



INDEX. 



Albany cake, 195. 

Alkanet colouring, 250. 

Almond icing, 22 1. 

Almond pudding, boiled, 112. 

Almond rice pudding, 112. 

Almond soup, 16. 

Altona fritters, 133. 

American chintzes, to wash, 307. 

American citron, 165. 

American prunes, 183. 

Anchovy toast, 29. 

A nts,— to destroy garden ants,280. 

Ants, — to expel small ants, 280. 

Antique oil, 253, 

Apple cake, 22 L 

Apples, to keep, 248. 

Apple marmalade, 191. 

Apples meringued, 154. 

Apples (dried,) 184. 

Apple water, 243. 

Artichokes, fried, 42. 

Artificial flowers, fine colouring 
for, 337. 

Arsenic, remedy for, 290. 

Asparagus loaves, 46. 

Asparagus omelet, 46. 

Atmosphere of a room, to pu- 
rify, 268, 

Austrian cake, 146. 

Autumn soup, 4. 

Baked tongue, 76. 
Barberry jam, 174. 
Bathing the feet, 284. 
Batter cakes, (Indiana,) 186. 
Batter cakes, (Kentucky,) 186. 
Batter cakes, (rye,) 187. 
Beans, stewed, 49. 
Bed-bugs, to destroy, 279. 
Bee-miller, to destroy, 281. 
Beef, — cold corned, to stew, 73. 



Beef, (French,) 74. 

Beef, minced, 72. 

Beef olives, 75. 

Beef, round of, stewed brown, 69 

Beef, — smoked, to stew, 74. 

Beef-steaks with mushrooms, 72. 

Beef-steak pot-pie, 71. 

Beef's tongue, stewed, 76. 

Beets, to keep, 248. 

Bergamot water, 113. 

Biscuit ice-cream, 161, 

Biscuit pudding, 113. 

Biscuit sandwiches, 85. 

Birds in a grove, (French dish,) 

99. 
Birds with mushrooms, (French,) 

98. 
Black lace, to wash, 305. 
Black-currant jelly, (fine,) 171. 
Blackberry syrup, 294. 
Blackberry wine, 233. 
Blanc-mange, (chocolate,) 150. 
Blanc-mange, (coffee,) 151. 
Blanc-mange, (gelatine,) 151. 
Blanc-mange, (maccaroon,) 149. 
Blanc-mange, (Spanish,) 147. 
Blanc-mange, (vanilla,) 148. 
Blue wash for walls, 264. 
Bobbinet, (to hem,) 325. 
Boned turkey, 104. 
Bonnets, 320. 

Bonnet, to keep white, 323, 
Boot-bag, to make, 317. 
Boston cake, 194. 
Brandy grapes, 182. 
Brandy green gages, 181. 
Brandy peaches, (excellent,) 179. 
Brandy peaches, (fine,) 179. 
Brandy peaches, (the French 

way,) 181. 
Brandy pears, 180. 

511 



512 



INDEX. 



Bread fritters, 136. 

Bread muffins, 188—299. 

Bread, (rice.) 189. 

Bread, (rice-flour,) 190. 

Breakfasts for spring and sum- 
mer, 365. 

Breakfasts for autumn and win- 
ter, 367. 

Breakfast parties, 368. 

Britannia metal, — to keep it 
bright, 272. 

Broccoli and eggs, 41. 

Broken cork, to get out of a bottle, 
268. 

Brown fricassee, 24. 

Brown mixture for a cough, 288. 

Cabbage, an excellent way of 

boiling, 38. 
Cabbage, (red, to stew,) 37. 
Cake, Albany', 195. 
Cake, apple, 221. 
Cake, Austrian, 196. 
Cake, Boston, 194. 
Cake, carraway, 215. 
Cake, chocolate, 201. 
Cakes, cinnamon, 222. 
Cake, cocoa-nut, (West India,) 

210. 
Cakes, ginger pound, 223. 
Cakes, Harlem, 188. 
Cake, honey, 200. 
Cakes, ice-cream, 205. 
Cake, lemon, 210. 
Cakes, light seed, 215. 
Cake, Madison, 197. 
Cakes, molasses, 227. 
Cakes, palmer, 214. 
Cakes, peach, 199. 
Cake, rice-flour pound, 210. 
Cake, rice sponge, 211. 
Cakes, strawberry, 198. 
Cake, sweet-potatoe, 212. 
Cakes, sugar, 227. 
VJakes, to freshen them, 229. 
Cake-syllabub, 151. 
Calf's head, stewed, 61. 
Calves' feet jelly, (hints on,) 164. 
Camphor spirits, 290. 



Caper sauce, substitutes for, 17 

Carbonated syrup-water, 238. 

Carraway gingerbread, 226. 

Carrots, to keep, 248. 

Carrots, stewed, 49. 

Case for combs, brushes, &c, 318. 

Cassia, (oil of,) 253. 

Caterpillars, to destroy, 281. 

Cauliflower, fried, 40. 

Cauliflower omelet, 40. 

Cauliflower maccaroni, 40. 

Cauliflowers and sweetbread, 67. 

Celery, fried, 42. 

Cement for jars and bottles, 258. 

Chafed upper-lip, (cure for,) 288. 

Champagne, (gooseberry,) 230. 

Charlotte, (French,) 145. 

Charlotte, (Italian,) 144. 

Charlotte russe, (very fine,) 142. 

Charlotte russe, another way, 143. 

Charlotte pudding, 127. 

Cherry pudding, 118. 

Cherry -water ice, 159. 

Chicken gumbo, 90. 

Chicken patties, 91. 

Chicken pie, (French,) 89. 

Chicken salad, (Italian,) 53. 

Chicken salad, (lettuce,) 52. 

Chicken rice pudding, 91. 

Chickens, stewed whole, 88. 

Chickens with tomatoes, 90. 

Chocolate blanc-mange, 150. 

Chocolate cream, 155. 

Chocolate cream, another way., 
155. 

Chocolate ice-cream, 160. 

Chocolate maccaroons, 207. 

Chocolate puffs, 213. 

Cider, — to keep it sweet, 249. 

Citron, (American,) 165. 

Citron melons, preserved, 167. 

Clam fritters, 32. 

Clam pie, 31. 

Clam soup, (fine,) 13. 

Clam soup, (excellent,) 14. 

Clam sweetbreads, 68. 

Closets, to clear from cock- 
roaches, 276. 

Coal-fire, to extinguish, 295. 



INDEX. 



Coat, dress, or gown, to make it 

set closely to the waist, 327. 
Cochineal colouring, 250. 
Cockroaches, 277. 
Cocoa, 244. 
Cocoa-nut cake, (West India,) 

210. 
Cocoa-nut cream, 157. 
Cocoa-nut pudding, 110. 
Cocoa-nut puffs, 214. 
Cocoa-nut soup, 15. 
Cod-fish,. fried, 24. 
Cod-fish, stewed, 24. 
CofFee, an excellent way of 

making it, 243. 
Coffee blanc-mange, 151. 
Cold corned beef, to stew, 73. 
Cold potatoes, to stew, 50. 
Cold starch for linen, 298. 
Colouring for cheese, 250. 
Colours of dresses, to preserve, 

303. 
Coloured water, 251. 
Coloured silks, French mode of 

washing, 300. 
Columbian pudding, 107. 
Columbian soup, 255. 
Columbus eggs, 92. 
Combs and brushes, 318. 
Company dinners for spring, 383. 
Company dinners for summer, 

384, 
Company dinners for autumn, 

386. 
Company dinners for winter, 387. 
Connecticut sausage meat, 80. 
Corks, covering for, 258. 
Corns, to remove from between 

the toes, 327. 
Corn meal pudding, 1 14. 
Corrosive sublimate, (antidote 

for,) 231. 
Cottage pudding, 117. 
Cream cocoa-nut pudding, 110. 
Cream, (pistachio,) 156. 
Cream trout, 23. 
Cream tarts, 204. 
Cream, (vanilla,) 157. 
Crickets, to destroy, 278. 



Croquettes of rice, 92. 
Croquettes of sweetbreads, 65. 
Cross buns, 217. 
Crossing the sea, 356. 
Crullers, (soft,) 216. 
Cucumber catchup, 56. 
Curds and whey, flavoured, 161. 
Currant ice, 158. 
Currant jelly, (excellent,) 173. 
Currant pudding, 118. 
Custard, (green,) 131. 
Custard, (red,) 131. 

Damson jam, 175. 

Damson-water ice, 159. 

Dark stains, to remove from sil- 
ver, 270. 

Directions for embroidering me- 
rino, 332. 

Directions for working slippers 
327. 

Directions for making a tabouret, 
339. 

Domestic Frontiniac, 231. 

Domestic Tokay, 233. 

Dried apples, 184. 

Dried peaches, stewed, 184. 

Ducks, (canvas-back, dressed 
plain,) 95. 

Ducks, (canvas-back, roasted,) 
95. 

Ducks, (canvas-back, stewed,) 
96. 

Ducks, (wild ducks, stewed,) 94. 

Duck soup, 12. 

Dumplings, (sweetmeat,) 133. 

Dusting furniture, 275. 

Eggs, to beat, 193. 
Eggs and broccoli, 41. 
Embroidery on both sides, 336. 
Embroidering standards, 335. 
Excoriated nostrils, (cure for,) 

287. 
Eye-stone, to apply one, 286. 

Fillet of mutton, 59. 

Fillet of pork, 77. 

Frontiniac wine, (domestic,) 231. 



M 



INDEX. 



Flavoured curds and whey, 161. 

Fleas, to expel, 278. 

Flemington gingerbread, 223- 

Flies, to destroy, 279. 

Four fruit jelly, 174. 

Fowl and oysters, 88. 

French beef, 74. 

French brandy peaches, 181. 

French charlotte, 145. 

French chicken pie, 85. 

French hungary water, 254. 

French icing for cakes, 220. 

French oyster pie, 30. 

French peas, 48. 

French lamb cutlets, 58. 

French pie, (raised,) 100. 

French stew of rabbits, 84. 

French way of dressing a shoul- 
der of veal, 62. 

French method of washing co- 
loured silks, 300. 

Fresh butter, to keep for frying, 
248. 

Fritters, (Altona,) 133. 

Fritters, (bread,) 136. ^ 

Fritters, (green,) 136. 

Fritters, (indian,) 137. 

Fritters, (sweetmeat,) 135. 

Fritters, (Washington,) 134. 

Fritters, (wine,) 135. 

Fruit stains, to remove them from 
doilies, napkins, &c, 276. 

Game, a nice way of cooking 

it, 98. 
Garden ants, to destroy, 280. 
Gelatine blanc-mange, 151. 
Gelatine custard, 132. 
Giblet pie, 103. 
Gingerbread, (carraway,) 226. 
Ginger crackers, 224. 
Gingerbread, (Flemington,) 223. 
Gingerbread, (molasses,) 226. 
Gingerbread for a sea-voyage,225. 
Gingerbread, spiced, 225. 
Glass-stopper, to loosen, 267. 
Gold or silver embroidery, to 

clean, 307. 
Gooseberry champagne, 230. 



Gooseberry pudding, 118. 

Gooseberry-water ice, 159. 

Grapes, iced, 1 83. 

Grapes in brandy, 182. 

Grease, to extract with cam- 
phine oil, 263. 

Grease-balls, to make, 263. 

Grease, to remove from a stove- 
hearth, 274. 

Green custard, 131. 

Green currant wine, 230. 

Green fritters, 136. 

Green gages, preserved, 178. 

Green gages in brandy, 181. 

Ground-nut maccaroons, 209. 

Ground rice pudding, (excellent,) 
124. 

Grouse or moorfowl pudding, 103. 

Gumbo, (chicken,) 90. 

Gum arabic paste, 258. 

Hair, an excellent way of improv- 
ing, 259. 

Hair, to have it very good, 260. 

Hair-brushes, convenient ones, 
318. 

Halibut, stewed, 25. 

Ham pie, (French,) 85. 

Ham, potted, 85. 

Ham toast, 87. 

Hands, to make them smooth and 
white, 281. 

Hanover pudding, 109. 

Harlem cakes, 188. 

Hearth in summer, 341. 

Hem of a silk dress, to strengthen, 
326. 

Hints on calves' feet jelly, 164. 

Hippocras, 234. 

Hoarhound candy, (fine,) 292. 

Honey cake, (fine,) 200. 

Household tools, 347. 

Ice-cream, (biscuit,) 161. 
Ice-cream cakes, 205. 
Ice-cream, (chocolate,) 160. 
Ice-cream, (peach,) 160. 
Icing, (almond,) 221. 
Icing for cakes, (French,) 220. 



INDEX. 



515 



Icing for a large cake, 218. 

Iced grapes, 183. 

Iced jelly, 158. 

Imitation lemon syrup, 238. 

Indian fritters, 137. 

Indian pudding, (fine,) 115. 

Indian pudding, (peach,) 115. 

Indian puff's, 132. 

Ink, to carry while travelling, 319. 

Ink, durable — to use, 265. 

Ink, (very fine,) 266. 

Ink, (sumach,) 266. 

Jam, (barberry,) 174. 
Jam, (damson,) 174. 
Jars, to clean, 268. 
Jelly, (black currant, fine,) 174. 
Jelly, (red currant, excellent,) 1 73. 
Jelly, (four fruit,) 174. 
Jelly, (iced,) 158. 
Jelly, (orange, very fine,) 171. 
Jelly puffs, or Sunderlands, 146. 
Jug of molasses, to prevent its 
running over, 294. 

Kentucky batter-cakes, 186. 
Knives, paste for cleaning, 272. 

Lace, (black,) to wash, 305. 

Lace, (thread,) to make it look 
like new, 302. 

Lady's pudding, 128. 

Lady's shoe bag, 317. 

Lamb cutlets, French way, 58. 

Lamb, stewed, 58. 

Lavender compound, (fine,) 293. 

Lavender water, (fine,) 254. 

Laudanum, remedy for an over- 
dose, 291. 

Lemon cakes, (small,) 200. 

Lemon juice, to preserve, 246. 

Lemon kisses, 206. 

Lemons and oranges, to keep, 247. 

Lemon pickle, (fine,) 55. 

Lemon puffs, 201. 

Lemon syrup, (imitation,) 238. 

Letters, 350. 

Lettuce peas, 48. 

Lettuce peas, (plain,) 49. 



Light paste, 140. 
Light seed cake, 214. 
Linen, cold starch for, 298. 
Lip glue, 256. 
Lip salve, red, 287. 
Lobster patties, 32. 
Lobster rissoles, 34. 
Looking-glasses, to clean, 269. 

Maccaroni, (cauliflower,) 40. 
Maccaroni pudding, 128. 
Maccaroni blanc-mange, 149. 
Maccaroons, (chocolate,) 207. 
Maccaroons, (ground-nut,) 209. 
Maccaroons, (lemon,) 209. 
Macassar oil, 252. 
Mahogany, to take out white 

marks from, 274. 
Marmalade, (pine apple,) 168. 
Marmalade pudding, 113. 
Marrow pudding, 123. 
Medicated prunes, 291. 
Meringued apples, 154. 
Meringues, (rose,) 202. 
Meringues, (whipt cream,) 203. 
Merino, to braid, 330. 
Merino dresses, to work in cross 

stitch, 330. 
Merino, to embroider, 332. 
Mice, 280. 
Milk of roses, 259. 
Millefleurs perfume, 253. 
Minced beef, 72. 
Minced veal, (excellent,) 62. 
Mince meat, (very fine,) 137. 
Mince meat, (temperance,) 138. 
Miner? pudding, 121. 
Molasses cake, 227. 
Molasses bread-cake, 228. 
Molasses gingerbread, 226. 
Molasses, to prevent a. jug of it 

from running over, 294, 
Muff, to keep, 312. 
Muffins, (bread,) 188—229. 
Mushrooms, with birds, 98. 
Mushroom omelet, 43. 
Mutton cutlets, stewed, 60. 
Mutton, (fillet of,) 59. 



516 



INDEX. 



Nectar, 235. 

Nice family dinners for spring, 

377. 
Nice family dinners for summer, 

378. 
Nice family dinners for autumn, 

379. 
Nice family dinners for winter, 

381. 
Nice way of cooking game, 98. 
Notions, 235. 

Oil, (antique,) 253. 

Oil of cassia, 253. 

Oil, (Macassar,) 252. 

Oil, to extract it from a floor or 

hearth, 274. 
Olives, (beef,) 75. 
Olives, (pork,) 79. 
Onion custard, 57. 
Opodeldoc, 270. 
Orange flummery, 152. 
Orange jelly, (line,) 171. 
Orange juice, to keep, 245. 
Oranges and lemons, to keep, 247. 
Orange marmalade, (fine,) 170. 
Orange milk, 236. 
Orange puffs, 202. 
Orange syrup, 237. 
Orange tarts, 14. 
Orleans pudding, 108. 
Oysters, broiled, 30. 
Oysters and fowls, 8S. 
Oyster loaves, 28. 
Oyster omelet, 28. 
Oyster pie, (French,) 30. 
Oysters and sweetbreads, 68. 
Oyster suppers, 393. 
Oyster toast, 30. 

Pain in the feet, to allay, 283. 
Paint, to remove from the wall of 

a room, 275. 
Palmer cakes, 214. 
Paper knife, to use, 346. 
Parchment glue, 256. 
Parsnips, to keep fresh, 248. 
Partridges in pears, 96. 
Partridge salmi, 97. 



Paste, (gum Arabic,) 258. 

Paste, (light,) 140. 

Paste, (transparent,) 139. 

Paste, (perpetual,) 257. 

Patterns, cutting them out, 325. 

Patties, (chicken and turkey,) 62. 

Patties, (lobster,) 32. 

Peaches, (brandy, fine,) 179. 

Peaches, (brandy, excellent,) 179. 

Peaches, (brandy, the French 
way,) 181. 

Peach cakes, 199. 

Peaches, (dried,) to stew, 184. 

Peach ice cream, 160. 

Peach jam, 177. 

Peach pickles, 56. 

Peaches, preserved, (very fine,) 
179. 

Peach wine, 231. 

Pears, (brandy,) 180. 

Peas, with lettuce, 48. 

Peas, (French way,) 48. 

Peas, stewed, 47. 

Perfume, (millefleurs,) 253. 

Perpetual paste, 251. 

Persicot, 235. 

Phials, to remove the odour from, 
267. 

Piano, marking its keys, 345. 

Pictures, taking care of, 313. 

Pie, (clam,) 31. 

Pie, (French ham,) 85. 

Pie, (giblet,) 103. 

Pie, (raised French,) 100. 

Pie, (rice,) 100. 

Pie, (thatched house,) 99. 

Pie, (tongue,) 86. 

Pigeons with ham, 102. 

Pigeon soup, 13. 

Pigs' feet, fried, 79. 

Pine-apples, an easy way of pre- 
serving, 168. 

Pine- apples, the best way of pre- 
serving, 169. 

Pine-apple marmalade, 1 68. 

Pine-apple pudding, 111. 

Pistachio cream, 156. 

Plate powder, 271. 

Plain dinners for spring, 369. 



INDEX. 



517 



Plain dinners for summer, 371. 
Plain dinners for autumn, 373. 
Plain dinners for winter, 375. 
Plum-water ice, 158. 
Pomatum, (excellent,) 259. 
Pork, (Italian,) 78. 
Pork olives, 79. 
Portrait painter's travelling box, 

314. 
Potatoes, to stew, 50. 
Potatoes, to improve when old, 51. 
Potatoe-flour pudding, 130. 
Pot-pie, (beef steak,) 71. 
Potted ham, 85. 
Powder for cleaning gold lace, 

271. 
Prickly-heat, cure for, 288. 
Prunes, (American,) 183. 
Prunes, (medicated,) 291. 
Pudding, (almond rice), 112. 
Pudding, almond, boiled, 112. 
Pudding, biscuit, 113. 
Pudding, charlotte, 126. 
Pudding, cherry, 118. 
Pudding, chicken, (rice,) 91. 
Pudding, chocolate, 127. 
Pudding, Columbian, 107. 
Pudding, corn meal, (excellent,) 

114. 
Pudding, cottage, 117. 
Pudding, cream cocoa-nut, 110. 
Pudding, currant, 118. 
Pudding, gooseberry, 118. 
Pudding, ground rice, (excellent,) 

] 24. 
Pudding, Hanover, 109. 
Pudding, indian, (fine,) 116. 
Pudding, lady's, 127. 
Pudding, lemon, boiled, 129. 
Pudding, maccaroni, 128. 
Pudding, Marietta, 108. 
Pudding, marmalade, 113. 
Pudding, marrow, 123. 
Pudding, mince, 121. 
Pudding, moorfowl, or grouse,l 03. 
Pudding, Orleans, 108. 
Pudding, potatoe-flour, 130. 
Pudding, raspberry, 117. 
Pudding, raisin, 120. 



Pudding, tapioca, 123. 
Pudding, temperance, (plum,) 

120. 
Pudding, transparent, 123. 
Pudding, Turkish, (rice,) 110. 
Pudding, venison, 82. 
Pudding, venison and chestnut, 

83. 
Pumpkin mush, 368. 
Putting away woollens, 309. 

Quinces, 170. 

Rabbit soup, 10. 
Rabbits, (French stew,) 84. 
Raisin pudding, 120. 
Raspberry cordial, (fine,) 239. 
Raspberry pudding, 117. 
Raspberry vinegar, (fine,) 240. 
Raspberry vinegar, (French,) 241. 
Red cabbage, stewed, 39. 
Red custard, 131. 
Red lip-salve, 284. 
Remedy for arsenic, 290. 
Rennets, 63. 

Rheumatic pains, relief for, 284. 
Rhubarb bitters, 294. 
Rhubarb cups, 147 
Ribbon sack, 316. 
Rice-bread, 189. 
Rice-flour bread, 196. 
Rice-flour batter cakes, 190. 
Rice croquettes, 92. 
Rice-flour pound cake, 210. 
Rice sponge cake, 211. 
Rice pie, 100. 

Rice pudding, (chicken,) 91. 
Rice pudding, (Turkish,) 110. 
Rings, brooches, &c, to clean, 270 
Ripe currant pudding, 118. 
Rissoles, (lobster,) 34. 
Rissoles, (veal,) 64. 
Rock-fish, stewed, 25. 
Rolls, (long,) 19. 
Rolls, (potatoe,) 191. 
Rose meringues, 202. 
Rosolis, 234. 

Run-round, cure for, 285. 
Rye batter cakes, 187. 
44. 



518 



INDEX. 



Salmon, baked, 20. 

Salmon, stewed, 19. 

Salmon, roasted, 20. 

Salmon-trout, baked, 23. 

Salt of lemon or stain-powder, 

262. 
Sandwiches, (biscuit,) 85. 
Sauce for mutton that has been 

boiled in soup, 17. 
Scolloped tomatoes, 44. 
Sea-bass with tomatoes, 22. 
Sea-voyage gingerbread, 225. 
Shad, to keep without corning, 26. 
Sheep's-head fish, (or turbot,) 

baked, 22. 
Sheep's-head fish, (or turbot,) 

boiled, 21. 
Shoe-bag, (a lady's,) 317. 
Shoes or boots, to render water- 
proof, 274. 
Shoulder of veal, (French way,) 

62. 
Silk dress, to clean, 300. 
Silk shawls or scarfs, to wash, 

299. 
Silks, French method of washing 

them, 300. 
Silk dress, to strensthen its hem, 

326. 
Silver, to clean expeditiously, 

272. 
Silver, a good way of cleaning, 

271. 
Silver,to keep always bright271. 
Smoked beef, to stew, 74. 
Soap, (Columbian,) 255. 
Soap, to perfume, 255. 
Souffle pudding, 125. 
Soup, almond, 16. 
Soup, autumn, 4. 
Soup, chicken, 11. 
Soup, clam, (excellent,) 14. 
Soup, clam, (fine,) 13. 
Soup, cocoa-nut, 15. 
Soup, duck, 12. 
Soup, French white soup, 15. 
Soup, rabbit, 10. 
Soup, spring, 3. 
Soup, summer, 4. 



Soup, turtle, 34. 

Soup, winter, 5. 

Soup-meat, 17. 

Spanish blanc-mange, 147. 

Spiced gingerbread, 225. 

Spermaceti, to take out of a hearth 

or floor, 274. 
Spinach, (French way,) 48. 
Spinach, stewed, 45. 
Sprained ankle, relief for, 284. 
Stains, to remove from silver, 270. 
Standards, to embroider, 336. 
Stove-hearth, to remove grease 

from, 274. 
Strawberries, an excellent way 

of preserving, 176. 
Strawberry cakes, 198. 
Strawberry -water ice, 159. 
Sugar cake, 227. 
Summer hearth, 341. 
Sunderlands, or jelly-puffs, 146. 
Suppers, (oyster,) 393. 
Supper-parties, 392. 
Sweetbreads with cauliflowers, 

67. 
Sweetbreads with clams, 68. 
Sweetbread croquettes, 65. 
Sweetbread omelet, 69. 
Sweetbreads with oysters, 68. 
Sweetbreads with tomatoes, G6. 
Sweetmeat dumplings, 248. 
Sweetmeat fritters, 133. 
Sweet omelet, 145. 
Sweet potatoe cake, 212. 
Sweet potatoe pone, 189. 
Syllabub cake, 151. 
Sydney Smith's salad-dressing,51. 

Tabouret, (directions for making 

one,) 339. 
Tapioca pudding, 123. 
Tarragon sauce, 54. 
Tea parties, 390. 
Temperance mince-meat, 138. 
Temperance plum pudding, 121 
Terrapin veal, 63. 
Tetter, cure for, 287. 
Thatched house pie, 99. 



INDEX. 



519 



Thread lace, to make it look al- 
ways new, 302. 
Toast water, 243. 
Tokay wine, (domestic,) 333. 
Tomato chickens, 90. 
Tomato sweetbreads, 66. 
Tongue pie, 86. 
Tongue, toast, 84. 
Tooth-powder, 256. 
Towel-case, to make, 318. 
Transparent paste, 139. 
Transparent pudding, 123. 
Trout with cream, 23. 
Turkey, boned, 104. 
Turkey patties, 91. 
Turkish rice pudding, 110. 
Turtle, to dress, 34. 

Vanilla blanc-mange, 148. 

Vanilla cream, 157. 

Vanilla flummery, 153. 

Vanilla syrup, 236. 

Veal, (fillet of,) corned, 61. 

Veal loaf, 60. 

Veal, minced, (excellent,) 62. 

Veal olives, 64. 

Veal, shoulder of, (French way,) 

62. 
Veal dressed as terrapin, 63. 
Venison pie, 80. 
Venison pie, (plain,) 81. 
Venison pudding, 82. 
Venison chestnut pudding, 83. 
Vial, to remove the odour from, 

267. 
Vinegar, (good,) 241. 



Vinegar, (molasses,) 242. 
Vinegar, (raspberry, French,)241. 
Vinegar, (raspberry, very fine,) 
240. 

Wall paper, to take off, 275. 

Washing chintzes, 307. 

Washing black-lace, 305. 

Washing coloured cravats, &c, 
309. 

Washington fritters, 134. 

Water-ice, (cherry, 159. 

Water-ice, (damson,) 159. 

Water-ice, (gooseberry,) 159. 

Water-ice, (plum,) 158. 

Water-ice, (strawberry,) 159. 

West India cocoa-nut cake, 210. 

Whalebone and hooks, 324. 

White fricassee, 93. 

White lace scarf, to wash, 306. 

White fur, to clean, 312. 

White satin ribbon, to wash, 298. 

White-wash brushes, to clean, 
264. 

Whipt cream meringues, 203. 

Wild ducks, stewed, 94. 

Wine fritters, 135. 

Winter soup, 5. 

Wonders, 215. 

Woollens, to put away, 309. 

Working slippers, 327. 

Worms in garden walks, to de- 
stroy, 281. 

Yellow colouring for walls, 264. 
Young corn omelet, 39. 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 



Almond ice-cream, 429. 

— Another way, 430. 
Alpisteras, (Spanish, cake,) 439. 
Apple jelly, (excellent,) 432. 
Apple pudding, (Yankee,) 405. 
Apple tapioca, 416. 

Asparagus, (a nice way of cooking,) 443. 
Asparagus, (French way of dressing,) 443. 
Autumn leaves, 425. 
Axjar pickles, 448. 
Backwoods pot-pie, 487. 
Beans, (pickled,) 450. 
Beans and peas, fto keep,) 452. 



Beef gumbo, 445. 

Beef-steak pot-pie, 411. 

Boston rye and Indian bread, 462. 

Breakfast rolls, 414. 

Brine for bacon and ham, 447. 

Buckwheat batter pudding, 414. 

Buckwheat cakes, (excellent,) 476. 

Buckwheat porridge, 416. 

Buena Vista cake, 395. 

Cabbage, (fried,) 446. 

Cabbage, pickled, (excellent,) 407 

Cabbage soup, (fine,) 406. 

Canvas-back ducks,— to broil, 424. 



520 



ADDITIONAL RECEIPTS. 



Carolina grits, or small hominy, 491. 
Carolina corn cakes, 480. 
Carolina rice cakes, 480. 
Carolina way of boiling rice, 442. 
Cauliflower, to fry, 446. 
Cherries, (pickled,) 452. 
Chocolate ice cream, 430. 

— Another way, 431. 
Charlotte russe, (chocolate,) 429. 
Charlotte russe, (lemon,) 428. 
Charlotte russe, (Madeira,) 427. 
Charlotte russe, (orange,) 428. 
Charlotte russe, (rose,) 428. 
Chicken pot-pie, 412. 
Cinnamon bread, 399. 

Cold piidding, — to cook, 417. 

Corn, (Indian,) to boil, 487. 

Corn-meal breakfast cakes, 474. 

Corn-meal pudding, (baked,) 485. 

Corn-meal yeast cakes, (dried,) 457. 

Corn oysters, 489. 

Corn porridge, 489. 

Corns,— relief for, 424. 

Currant raisin jam, 402. 

Curry balls, 444. 

Damsons or plums, (pickled,) 451. 

Dumplings, (green corn,) 488. 

Egg balls, 444. 

Egg pone, 463. 

Eggs, to keep, 418. 

Farina, 435. 

Farina flummery, 436. 

— Another way, 437. 

— Another way, 437. 
Farina gruel, 436. 
Farina panada, 436. 
Farina pudding, (baked,) 436. 
Farina plum-pudding, 437. 
Farmer's Indian pudding, 483. 
Fig marmalade, 433. 

Filet gumbo, 406. 

Flummery, (red,) 434. 

French mustard, (fine,) 418. 

Frying fish, 448. 

Gazpacho, (Spanish,) 441. 

Green corn dumplings, 488. 

Guisada, (a Spanish stew,) 440. 

Hog's head cheese, 447. 

Hoe cake, (common,) 466. 

Hominy, 491. 

Hominy cakes, 491. 

Ice-cream, (almond,) 429, 430. 

Ice-cream, (lemon,) 431. 

Ice-cream, (orange,) 431. 

Icing, — warm, 399. 

Indian batter cakes, (very plain,) 470. 

Indian bread, or pone, 460. 

Indian rye bread, 461. 

Indian wheat bread, 462. 

Indian corn, (for keeping,) 492. 

Indian crumpets, 474. 

Indian cup-cakes, 478. 

Indian griddle cake, 468. 

Indian dumplings, (very plain,) 469. 

Indian flappers, 473. 

Indian-meal gruel, 465. 

Indian hasty pudding, 465. 

Indian light biscuit, 478. 

Indian mush, 464. 



Indian muffing, 470. 

Indian boiled pudding, (very nice,) 

484. 
Indian rice cakes, 475. 
Indian slap-jacks, 473. 
Johnny cake, (plain,) 468. 
Johnny cake, (very nice,) 469. 
Kentucky sweet cake, 479. 
Lancaster gingerbread, 398. 
Lard, (to prepare,) 446. 
Lemon honey, 401. 
Madison cake, 481. 
Madeira cake, 427. 
Madeira ham, 408. 
Melon marmalade, 404. 
Missouri cakes, 472. 
Mushrooms, — broiled, 412. 
Mushrooms pickled, (an easy way,) 413. 
Nantucket pudding, 482, 
Ochras, dried, 445. 

Oil for kitchen lamps, (cheap,) 423. s 
Onion eggs, 444. ■ 
Onions, to pickle, 451. 
Orange honey, 402. 
Ovens, hints on heating, 455. 
Peach mangoes, (fine,) 449. 
Pear marmalade, 433. 
Peppers, to pickle, 450. 
Pine-apples, — to keep without cooking, 

403. 
Pine-apple marmalade, (fine,) 403. 
Pisto omelette, (Spanish,) 440. 
Plums and damsons, (to preserve,) 

451. 
Polio valenciano, (Spanish,) 440. 
Pork and beans, (excellent,) 493. 
Pumpkin Indian cakes, 475. 
Pumpkin Indian pudding, 486. 
Raisin currants, 402. 
Red flummery, 434. 
Rice blancmange, 435. 
Rice waffles, 454. 
Rye batter cakes, (nice,) 477. 
Rye mush, 466. 
Roxbury tea cakes, 438. 
Saccatash, (for summer,) 489. 
Saccatash, (for winter,) 490. 
Samp, 491. 
Samp pudding, 483. 
Scotch short cake, 453. 
Silk, — new way of washing, 421. 
Snow cream, 400. 
Spanish salad, 441. 
Spermaceti, — to extract, 423. 
Stair-carpets, — to save, 421. 
Terra firma, 417. 
Terrapin pot-pie, 410. , 

Terrapins, — a new way of dressing, 

409. 
Tomato marmalade, 405. 
Tomato marmalade, 433. 
Tomato paste, 445. 
Virginia griddle cakes, 471. 
Wafer cakes, (fine,) 397. 
Washington pudding, 419. 
Wine jelly, 431. 

Yeast cakes, (dried corn-meal,) 457. 
Yeast, (excellent home-made,) 456. 
Yeast powders, 396. 



A. HART, late CAREY & HART, 

HAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED THE 10TH EDITION OF 

THE HOUSE BOOK: 

A. MANUAL OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY. 

BY MISS LESLIE 
PRICE ONE DOLLAR, 



THE FOLLOWINi 



A LIST OF ITS CONTENTS: 



Accidents from fire, 147, 
Alabaster, (to clean,) 199. 
Anthracite coal, 129. 
Anthracite coal grates, 129. 
Ants, (to destroy,) 114. 
Aronetta dye, 98. 
Astral lamps, 156. 
Astral lamps, (management of, 

157. 
Attics, (the) 325. 



Baskets, 239. 

Beaver hats, (to take care of,) 70. 

Bed-bugs or chinches, (remedies 

for,) 105. 
Bedding, 308. 
Bed-covers, 311. 
Bed-curtains, 306. 
Bed feathers, (to wash,) 64. 
Bed-rooms, to clean,) 318. 
Beds, (to make up,) 316. 
Beds, (to warm,) 321. 
Bedsteads, 303. 
Bedsteads, (to put up,) 305. 
Bees, (to keep,) 370. 
Bells, 332. 

Bishop's lawn, (to wash,) 46. 
Bituminous or English coal, 141. 
Blacking, (fine — to make,) 73. 
Blacking that will preserve the 

leather, 73. 
Blacking for stoves, 216. 



Black crape, (to remove water- 
stains from,) 85. 
Black dye, 99. 
Black dye for yarn, 104. 
Black silk, (to wash,) 45. 
Black silk sleeves, (to restore when 

faded,) 79. 
Black silk stockings, (to wash,) 58, 
Black worsted stockings,(to wash,) 

34. . 
Blankets, (to keep through the 

summer,) 310. 
Blankets, (to wash,) 34. 
Block tin dish covers, (to clean,) 

207. 
Blond, (to wash,) 54. 
Blue composition, 96. 
Blue dye, 95. 
Blue dye, (dark,) 96. 
Blue dye for yarn, 103. 
Bobbinet, (to shrink,) 62. 
Bobbinet or cotton lace, (to wash,) 

51. 
Body of a dress, (to make,) 410. 
Bonnet cover, (to make,) 353. 
Bonnets, (gingham — to wash,) 48. 
Bonnets, (straw or Leghorn — to 

clean,) 67. 
Book muslin dresses, (to wash,) 43. 
Boots and shoes, (to clean,) 72. 
Boots and shoes, (French polish 

for,) 74. 
Boot tops, (wash for,) 74. 



INDEX. 



Brass, (to clean,) 218. 
Brass kettles, (to clean,) 219. 
Bread seals, (to make,) 375. 
Breakfast table, (to set,) 274. 
Brick hearths, (to clean,) 201. 
Brick oven, (to heat,) 145. 
Britannia metal, (to clean,) 207. 
Broken dishes, (to mend,) 291. 
Broken glass, (to mend,) 292. 
Brown dye, 100. 
Brown dye for yarn, 101. 
Brown linen, (fine — to wash,) 47. 
Brushing a coat, 75. 
Brushes, 241. 
Brushes, (to clean,) 72. 
Buff colour, (to dye,) 102. 
Buff dye, (excellent,) 97. 
Burn salve, (to make,) 150. 
Butter knives, 254. 



Candles, 167. 

Candles, (common mould — to 

make,) 168. 
Candles, (fine home-made,) 169. 
Candles, (dip — to make,) 170. 
Candles, (small wax — to make,) 

169. 
Candlesticks,(japanned — to clean,) 

209. 
Candlesticks,(silver and plated — to 

clean,) 206. 
Carpets, 173. 
Carpet-bags, 352. 
Carpets, (to beat,) 181. 
Carpets, (bed-room,) 178. 
Carpets, (stair,) 179. 
Carpets, (to sweep,) 180. 
Carpets, (to wash,) 181. 
Carpets, (to extract oil from,) 83. 
Carpets, (rag,) 185. 
Castors, 251. 
Carving, 268. 



Cask, (an old one — to sweeten,) 

226. 
Cellars, 245. 

Cement for alabaster, &c, 293. 
Cement cakes, 294. 
Cement, (common,) 293. 
Cement for iron, 293. 
Chairs, sofas, &c, 296. 
Chairs, (to clean,) 198, 340. 
Chair-screens, 153. 
Chandeliers, (to clean,) 212, 
Charcoal, 127. 
Chemises, (to make,) 394. 
Chimneys, 334. » 

Chimneys on fire, 146. 
China-ware, 290. 
China, (to pack,) 347. 
Chinches, or bed-bugs, (to destroy,) 

105. 
Chintz, (dark' — to wash,) 39. 
Chintz, (furniture — to wash,) 49. 
Cinnamon brown, (to dye,) 100. 
Clipping bags, 196. 
Cloak, (a lady's— to fold,) 77. 
Clothes balls, 91. 
Cloth clothes, (to wash,) 35. 
Clothes brushes, (to clean,) 72. 
Coal, (anthracite,) 129. 
Coal grates, (anthracite,) 129. 
Coal grate fires, 132. 
Coal stove fires, 139. 
Coal spark, (to extract from the 

eye,) 150. 
Coffee starch, 21. 
Cockroaches, (to destroy,) 109. 
Coke fires, 142. 

Collar, (false one — to make,) 392. 
Coloured dresses, (to wash,) 37. 
Colours, (liquid — to prepare,) 379. 
Combs, (to clean,) 72. 
Combs, (tortoise-shell — to mend,) 

71. 
Cotton comfortables, (to make,)313. 



INDEX. 



Cotton stockings, (unbleached— to 

wash,) 59. 
Cotton cord, (to shrink,) 02. 
Counterpanes, (to wash,) 313. 
Court-plaster, (to make,) 381. 
Cow, (to keep,) 355. 
Cream oysters, 288. 
Crickets, (to destroy,) 112, 
Crockery, (kitchen,) 233. 
Curtains, 188. 
Curtains, (to clean,) 189. 



Dairy, 359. 

Dampness in beds, (to detect,) 321. 

Damp walls, 335. 

Decanters, (to clean,) 209. 

Dip candles, (to make,) 170. 

Dining-tables, (to polish,) 197. 

Dinner table, (to set,) 256. 

Dinner table, (to wait on,) 261. 

Doilies, 256. 

Doors and windows, (to stop their 

cracks,) 322. 
Door locks, 333. 
Down feathers, (to clean,) 64. 
Double wrappers, (to make,) 401. 
Dresses, (coloured — to wash,) 37. 
Dress, (book muslin — to wash,) 43. 
Dress, (painted muslin — to wash,) 

42. 
Dress, (a lady's— -to fold,) 75. 
Dresses, (to fold for packing,) 347. 
Dress-making, (hints on,) 406. 
Dress, (a lady's — to make the 

body,) 410. 
Dress, (to make the sleeves,) 416. 
Dress, (to make the skirt,) 420. 
Ducks, (to keep,) 369. 
Durable ink, (to make,) 378. 
Dust, (tc remove from a dress,) 86. 
Dyes, (domestic — remarks on,) 93. 
Dyes foryarn, (country manner,) 101. 
39 



Enamelled kettles, (to clean,) 220u 

Entrance halls, 328. 

Entry lamps, 160. 

Evening parties, (hints on,) 280. 



Faded dress, (to bleach,) 26. 

False collars, (to make,) 392. 

False shirt-bosoms, (to make,) 393 

Feathers, (bed — to wash,) 64. 

Filtering jars, 244. 

Finger glasses, 254. 

Fire irons, (to clean,) 216. 

Fire irons, (to prevent from rust- 
ing,) 217. 

Fire screens, 151. 

Flannel, (to make up,) 396. 

Flannel, (new — to shrink,) 31, 32. 

Flannel, (to wash,) 32, 

Fleas, 111. 

Flies, 112. 

Floating tapers, 163. 

Floating tapers, (cheap ones,) 166 

Floating tapers, (to renew,) 164. 

Flower stands, 194. 

Folding clothes for ironing, 26. 

Folding a coat, 75. 

Folding a coat for packing, 348. 

Folding a lady's dress, 75. 

Folding a dress for packing, 347. 

Folding a lady's cloak, 77. 

Floors, 335. 

Forks, (to clean,) 213. 

Fowls, (to keep,) 363. 

Front doors, 330. 

Fruit stains, (to remove,) 79. 

Furniture, (black walnut,) 193 

Furniture, (curled maple,) 193. 

Furniture, (mahogany,) 192. 

Furniture, (rose wood,) 193. 

Furniture, (varnished mahogany ; 
to clean,) 196. 

Furniture, (kitchen,) 228. 



INDEX. 



Furniture, (to take care when the 
house is repairing,) 343. 



Geese, (to keep,) 368. 

German silver, (to clean,) 206. 

Gingham bonnets, (to wash,) 48 

Gilt chandeliers, (to clean,) 212. 

Glass, (broken — to mend,) 292. 

Glass, (to pack,) 347. 

Glass, (to clean,) 210. 

Glass stoppers, (to get out,) 210. 

Gloves, (kid or hoskin — to wash,) 
61. 

Gloves, (white French thread — to 
clean,) 59. 

Gloves, (gentlemen's — to clean,) 
62. 

Gloves, (wash-leather— to wash,) 
60. 

Glue stiffening, 22. 

Glue, (common,) 295. 

Glue, (of rice,) 295. 

Gold fish, (to take care of,) 375. 

Gold muslin, (to wash,) 44. 

Gold ornaments, (to clean,) 70. 

Gown dress, (to make,) 425. 

Grates for anthracite coal, 129. 

Grease, (to extract from a dress,) 80. 

Grease spots, (to remove from 
books,) 83. 

Grease, (to remove from wall pa- 
per,) 84. 

Green dye, 96. 

Green dye for yarn, 103. 

Green colouring for maps, 379. 



Hearths, (brick — to clean,) 201. 
Heat marks, (to remove from a 

table,) 88. 
Hints on evening parties, 280. 
Hints on dress-making, 406. 
Hoskin gloves, (to clean,) 61. 
Hood, (a lady's — to make,) 403. 
House-cleaning, (preparations for,) 

336. 
House-cleaning, (finishing,) 342. 
Household articles, (to pack,) 354. 
Hydrants, 247. 



Ink, (black— to make,) 376. 

Ink, (durable— to make,) 378. 

Ink, (red— to make,) 378. 

Ink-stains, (to remove from a car- 
pet,) 87. 

Ink-stains, (to take out of maho- 
gany,) 88. 

Ink-stains, (to take out of a table- 
cover,) 86. 

Ink-stains, (to take out of white 
clothes,) 87. 

Ink-stains, (to take out of un- 
painted wood,) 88. 

Ink, (marking — to take out,) 87. 

Italian or patent iron, 29. 

Ironing, 26. 

Ironing silk, 31. 

Ironing velvet, 30. 

Iron, (polished — to preserve from 
rust,) 218. 

Iron ware, 234. 

Iron, (cement for when broken,) 
293. 



Hard soap, (to make,) 17. 
Hard soap, (fine — to make,) 18. 
Hats, (beaver — to take care of,) 70. 
Head-brushes, (to clean,) 72. 
Hearths, (stone — to clean,) 201. 



Japanned candlesticks, (to clean, 

209. 
Japanned waiters, (to clean,) 208. 
Jars, (to purify,) 224. 



INDEX. 



Keeping a cow, 355. 
Kettles, (brass— to clean,) 219. 
Kettles, (tea— to clean,) 221. 
Kettles, (porcelain,) 220. 
Kitchen clothes, 240. 
Kitchen crockery, 233. 
Kitchen furniture, 228. 
Kitchen lamps, 163. 
Knife rests, 254. 
Knives, (to clean,) 213. 



Lace, (cotton or bobbinet — to wash,) 

51. 
Lace, (thread — to wash,) 52, 53. 
Lace, (gold — to clean,) 45. 
Lace veil, (black — to wash,) 56. 
Lace veil, (white — to wash,) 55. 
Lamps, (astral,) 156. 
Lamps, (astral — to manage,) 157. 
Lamps, (chamber,) 162. 
Lamps, (entry,) 160. 
Lamps, (kitchen,) 163. 
Lamps, (night,) 165. 
Lamp oil, 155. 
Lamp oil, (to take out of a carpet,) 

83. 
Lamp oil, (to take out of a floor,) 82. 
Lamp oil, to extract from a dress,) 

81. 
Lamp oil, (to extract from a sofa,) 

82. 
Lamp rugs, 161. 
Lanterns, 163. 
Laundry work, 7. 
Lawn, (bishop's — to wash,) 46. 
Leghorn bonnets, (to clean,) 67. 
Linen, (to make up,) 386. 
Linen, (mildewed — to restore,) 88. 
Linen, (scorched — to restore,) 89. 
Liuen, (stained — to restore,) 90. 
Linen window-blinds, 190. 
Linen, (to whiten,) 89. 



Looking-glasses, (to clean,) 211. 
Lye, (to make,) 13. 



Mahogany furniture, 192. 
Mahogany furniture, (varnished— 

to clean,) 196. 
Mahogany tables, (unvarnished — 

to clean,) 197. 
Mahogany, (to remove ink-spots 

from,) 88. 
Mahogany chairs and sofas, 198. 
Maps, (to colour,) 380. 
Marble, (white — to clean,) 199. 
Marble, (coloured — to clean,) 200. 
Marble, (cement for,) 293. 
Marabout feathers, (to clean,) 64. 
Marking ink, (to take out,) 87. 
Marseilles quilt, (to wash,) 313. 
Mattrasses, (to renew,) 66. 
Mats for the table, 253. 
Matting, (straw,) 184. 
Merino dresses, (to wash,) 41. 
Mice, 117. 

Mildew, (to take out of linen,) 88. 
Mirrors, 300. 
Mixture for stains, 91. 
Moths, 115. 

Mould candles, (to make,) 168. 
Mourning chintz, (to wash,) 39. 
Mousseline de laine, (to wash,) 4L 
Mud, (to take out of a dress,) 86. 
Muslin, (book — to wash,) 43. 
Muslin, (gold or silver- — to wash,) 

44. 
Muslin, (painted — to wash,) 42. 
Muslins, (small— to do up,) 40. 
Musquitoes, 112. 



Nankeen, (to wash,) 48. 
Nankeen colour, (to dye,) 99. 
Napkins, 255. 



INDEX. 



Table, (breakfast— to set,) 274. 

Table, (dinner— to set,) 256. 

Table, (to wait on,) 261. 

Table-linen, 255. 

Table mixture, 197. 

Tapers, (floating,) 163. 

Tapers, (floating — very cheap,) 
166. 

Tapers, (floating — to renew,) 164. 

Tar or turpentine spots, (to re- 
move,) 81. 

Tea-kettles, (to clean,) 221. 

Tea-table, (to set,) 279. 

Tea things, (to wash,) 222. 

Tea urns, (to clean,) 208. 

Tin dish-covers, (to clean,) 207. 

Tins, (common — to clean,) 20S. 

Tin, (new — to remove its taste of 
rosin,) 225. 

Tin ware, 236. 

Thread gloves and stockings, (to 
wash,) 59. 

Toilet tables, 300. 

Tortoise shell, (to clean, and mend,) 
71. 

Trunks, (to pack,) 349. 

Turkeys, (to keep,) 367. 



Venetian blinds, 190. 
Vials, (to wash,) 211. 



Washing bed-feathers, 64. 
Washing with soda, 24. 
Washing white clothes, 22 
Washing-stands, 301. 
Wax, (to take out of cloth,) 85. 
Wax candles, (small ones — tfv 

make,) 169. 
Wax-polish, (for furniture,) 197. 
Whiting, (very fine,) 205. 
Whitening clothes, 25. 
White satin shoes, (to clean,) 91. 
White-washing, 338. 
Wilmington clay balls, 92. 
Window cracks, (to stop,) 322. 
Window-blinds of linen, 190. 
Window blinds of paper, 190. 
Window panes, (to mend,) 292. 
Window washing, 340. 
Wood, 121. 
Wood fires, 122. 
Wood stove fires, 123. 
Wooden ware, 238. 
Woollen shawls, (to wash,) 37. 
Woollen stockings, (to wash,) 33. 
Woollen table-covers, (to wash,) 

36. 
Woollen yarn, (to wash,) 34. 
Worsted stockings, (black' — to 

wash,) 34. 
Wrappers, (double— to make,) 401 
Wrappers, (quilted — to make,) 402 



Waiting on table, 26 1. 
Walls, 171. 



Yellow dye, 95. 

Yellow dye for yam, 103. 



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